Golden Sun: Psynergy Well
by Mystics Apprentice
Summary: Terrible times have fallen Weyard. Everyone thought the Eclipse was the worst thing which befell Weyard—but they were terribly wrong. Between a dreaded disease, a manipulator and an ancient legend, the heroes must unlock the secrets of the Psynergy Well and its vortexes—before its too late. A sequel to Dark Dawn. Amiti-centric
1. In the Place Where It's Hidden

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of its characters. All rights belong to Camelot and other developers of the game.

If I did own Golden Sun, I would've made a whole anime series of it by now purely for my own enjoyment!

***Please note there are many spoilers for Dark Dawn within this story***

Chapter I

Darkness fell upon the cold city of Ayuthay. Now that the Alchemy Machines across the Ei-Jei region had been fixed, winters now befell the kingdom. It was a blessing, and the people of Ayuthay thoroughly enjoyed it. Only now they found themselves scrambling to hurry and make warmer clothing than their normal summer apparel that they had become accustomed to due to the high temperatures that they experienced all year long.

Amiti sat alone in the darkened chamber, with only the light of a single candle illuminating the room around him. A celebration was going on outside, but he felt no desire to partake in it. The day just prior had been the burial of his beloved Uncle Paithos, the former king of Ayuthay, and the very next night was the coronation ceremony in which Amiti would have to take the throne. Before it had all seemed glorious to Amiti to become king, but now as the event was taking place, and at the cost of losing his uncle, he no longer desired it.

During the Grave Eclipse, Paithos had fallen terribly ill. Amiti had very much wanted to be with him, but he knew his place belonged with the other Adepts in stopping the Eclipse. They needed him, and while he couldn't turn his back on his uncle, he found it to be much more detrimental if he didn't join the Adepts in their quest. As soon as they had ended the Eclipse, he'd hurried back to Ayuthay without a moment's delay, but arrived only with an hour to spare before his uncle's parting from the physical world as they knew it. Little did they speak, little were they able to. There was no time left – that they both knew. They only sat there holding hands, silently giving their goodbyes. Only moments before his death, Paithos had left Amiti with the most peculiar message: "In your mother's tomb… In the place where it's hidden… Your answers are there…"

He then died shortly after relaying this message to him, without giving his nephew the opportunity to ask what place and where. For days, Amiti had dwelt on what his uncle had said, pondering over what it could all have meant. But as time wore on, after many thorough explorations of his mother's tomb, he slowly began to wonder if it had indeed meant nothing – that perhaps his uncle had only speaking gibberish before he passed.

Amiti sat in the corner of the room with his back against the wall, contemplating what he should do, and life in general. He felt quite lost after his uncle died, and really didn't want to have the responsibility of the kingdom on his shoulders. He wasn't ready to be king, his uncle had left him far too soon with such a responsibility at hand. There was so much that Amiti wanted to tell him, so much that he wanted to ask.

"… In the place where it's hidden… Your answers are there."

These words haunted his soul every night when he'd go to bed, and all of the hours when he was awake. He'd taken many trips into his mother's tomb, searching for any place where something could hide, but each time came back unsuccessful. He had found no place, not that he was very surprised. A hiding place wouldn't well be out in the obvious, would it?

He was in a melancholy mood, feeling too overburdened by having to go out in a crowd of people, having to put on a cheery persona and play the role that was expected of him. For once, for once he just felt like being the child that he still was deep inside and cry. Ever since his uncle's passing, all the talk in the kingdom was about Amiti becoming the new king and he was well tired of it now. No one seemed to truly remember that Paithos had been his uncle, and that up until then he'd only been raised within the palace walls, treated like the young prince of Ayuthay, with no real experience of the outside world. Though he was nineteen, he found that he wasn't entirely a mature one. He doubted that he'd be able to make a good king, even if he was enthusiastic about the position. No one seemed to understand, no one seemed to care.

He had sat alone in that darkened chamber for the past three hours, and no one had yet come looking for him. Not that he wanted them to, but it surprised him all the same about their lack of concern. It was during these days before a coronation that people liked to make their assassination attempts.

His thoughts drifted off to the other Adepts, and wondered if they had all gotten back home okay. It was hard for him to imagine that just a week ago they had all been traveling together. It had seemed as though that were at least a lifetime ago. Just one week ago, they had fought the Tuaparang atop the Apollo Sanctum, and had ended the devastating Eclipse that ruined the lives of many. Just a week ago Sveta lost her brother, Volechek, who proved himself to be quite a heroic king. Amiti cringed as the scene replayed through his mind. It all seemed so real as it happened, and now looking back on it, it didn't seem as if it ever happened at all. Being back in the castle walls, Amiti felt as though he had never left them. Even though their situation had been so dire, he had the time of his life traveling with the other Adepts, getting to see new parts of the world that he'd never anticipated traveling to. After he'd gotten back in Ayuthay, he'd secretly had high hopes of being able to sneak off to visit them now and again – But now everything had changed. His freedom would be taken away for good, under the responsibility of looking after his kingdom and his people.

Even more strangely, he kept finding himself wondering what had happened to Alex, though he wasn't sure why it really mattered to him. Last they had seen of him, he was helping them out in the Apollo Sanctum, fighting off his own comrades to buy the Adepts time to start up the Apollo Lens. Amiti wasn't sure why he found his mind traveling to Alex during times like these, but something about the man just seemed – _familiar._ He couldn't begin to explain why, but deep down he felt like he knew him, as though he were an old friend. No one knew what happened to him after the Apollo Lens had been used. It almost seemed as though he just disappeared – which Amiti reminded himself that he technically _could_. He knew better than to believe that Alex died, he honestly didn't think that he was mortal enough to be able to. It still remained a mystery to him as to what possessed Alex to fight against them for so long, being so desperate to start the Grave Eclipse as he had been, for in the next instant wanting to end it and helping the Adepts to do so in any way that he could. He was a hard man to figure out, and Amiti thought perhaps it'd be wisest on his part to stop trying.

Amiti stood up. He knew stalling out would help nothing – one way or another he'd have to go through with the coronation, and soon they really _would _send people looking for him. Thinking that would look rather bad that the ceremony would have to be postponed due to the new king not wanting to attend it, he decided to simply take a deep breath and just get it over with.

As he walked down the hall, his mind drifted back to his uncle, thinking on how disappointed his uncle might've been that they had forgotten him so shortly after his death. Then that cursed phrase went through his mind once more:

"In your mother's tomb… In the place where it's hidden… Your answers are there."

He was over half way to his room, and it was only thirty minutes until the coronation ceremony began. He barely had enough time to change clothes, comb his hair, and try to figure out how to get the ridiculously large and heavy headdress to stay on while bending over, yet he found himself contemplating searching his mother's tomb one last time. He told himself it was useless, he'd already searched it top to bottom. But he felt that it must've been important if his uncle chose those to be his final words to his nephew. It surely meant there indeed had to be something there, it was only a matter of Amiti just not looking in the right place. He very much needed guidance and answers right now, and thought his best bet would be to find whatever his uncle had hidden for him.

Looking up the hall towards his room, he tore off in the opposite direction down to his mother's tomb site. He knew the people would be looking for him. And yes, he knew that he'd stall out the ceremony, but well, he was the one becoming king wasn't he? They could be flexible with their schedule for him.

Upon entering, Amiti grabbed one of the torches on the wall and descended down the steps into the tomb. It was damp and cold, the earth being soft and moist under his feet. He held the torch up high, surveying the site carefully. In the center rested a headstone, and at its feet lay the body of his mother. He had never known her as she had passed away shortly after he was born, with barely having the time to name him. Yet despite all of this, he couldn't help but feel sorrow that she was dead.

He crouched down beside her grave, rubbing a hand across the soft, damp soil of her grave, then across the smooth stone slab engraved with his mother's name and date of her death, the date of which he was born. He got up and walked around the room quickly, then moved through it slower. It was the same as he had always seen it, and still no sign lay of anything that could be hidden. His heart began to sink with despair. All of the questions he desired to ask would have to remain a mystery to him forever.

As Amiti circled around the back of the grave, he noticed ridges in the back of the headstone that he'd never noticed before. He rubbed a finger across it, and noticed a symbol of some kind engraved. It wasn't the Ayuthayan symbol, for he would've recognized that. But this one was odd, and seemed quite familiar. He then recalled where he had seen it; back in their Alchemy Well. Excitement coursed through him, and without giving it much thought he used douse upon the stone. Inheriting his abilities from his father, Amiti was a Mercury Adept, gifted with the abilities of the water element. As the water washed over the smooth marbled-stone, it then began to glow as the place where the symbol had been simply vanished, leaving an opening in the headstone itself.

Amiti blinked. This was rather odd, who would hide something in a headstone with Psynergy to protect it? It then occurred to him that perhaps this was done on purpose – Amiti was the only Water Adept in Ayuthay, therefore the contents would be safe for him and him alone, throughout wars and enemy invasions. It was probably all well thought out by his uncle and perhaps… His mother.

Slowly, he put his hand inside the hole and felt around, at first finding nothing, until he felt his hand run across a smooth leather bound book. He pulled it out and was quite surprised, and slightly disappointed to see how small it was, no larger than his hand. He felt around some more but nothing else was there. Leaning back against the headstone, Amiti carefully opened the leather bound book. He was surprised to see it was a journal of sorts, finding many pages to have been torn out, with the first page remaining written in the familiar handwriting of his uncle.

"To my dear Amiti,

If you are reading this now, I have passed away before being given the opportunity to tell you all that you needed to know. Even I myself know not everything that your mother knew about you and your father. However, I can only hope and pray that she included all of those things in her journal, and hope that you may find the answers to who you truly are, and who your parents were. To be quite honest, I never had the courage enough to read it and find out all of those things myself.

May you find the strength that you need to rule Ayuthay, and to be the wise, courageous king I always knew you'd be. Your mother and I are so proud of you.

~ Paithos"

Amiti reread the message from his uncle a few times before flipping through the pages of the journal. They were all filled with the thin, slanted handwriting of his mothers. Excitement and despaired coursed through the young Adept all at once. He didn't know what he was expecting to find, but he had been hoping something greater than this. With the urgency that his uncle had told him in, he figured he'd find something spectacular and very important, not something so insignificant such as his mother's journal. He'd always been told not everything is what it seemed, so perhaps this were one of them. He very much wanted to get started reading, but knew that the ceremony was about to start quite soon, and felt a pang of guilt to be so selfish as to make them wait on him.

He quickly tucked the journal away in his pocket and rushed out of the tomb, feeling slightly more uplifted then when he had arrived there. Even if the journal didn't solve his problems or answer his many questions, and least he'd feel as if he were getting to know his mother through reading her thoughts and her life. And maybe at last, after many months of endless wondering, he'd know the truth of his father's identity.

**Author's Note:**

I LOVED Golden Sun Dark Dawn but was so irritated with the ending. So many things were left hanging and unanswered… Then I began thinking what if this happened, and this and that, and soon, I came up with this story! Probably once the sequel to dark dawn is released this story will be completely invalid, but I'm trying to follow the events of the 3 previous games fairly accurately. Amiti is my favorite character, and so this story will be mainly revolving around him, but it _is _a sequel to dark dawn and will consist of all of the characters overtime.

Please read and review, I'd love to hear what you think! This is my first fanfic in the Golden Sun region. Thank you for reading :)


	2. On the Road Once More

Chapter II

Matthew sat at the round table, staring deep into the fireplace. He hadn't done much else since arriving back home at the Goma Plateau.

They had arrived a week ago to find a Psynergy Vortex not too far from the outlook cabin, but what they found inside of the cabin remained much worse – Isaac and Garet were gone.

Matthew, Tyrell and Karis had searched the cabin high and low, yet no clues could be found to incline as to what Isaac and Garet were doing before they left, or where they were headed. Matthew hoped they would've at least left them a note of where they were going if they had indeed gone of their own free will. But then again, perhaps Isaac and Garet hadn't been expecting them back anytime soon and felt that a note wasn't necessary? Matthew could keep making excuses for them, but nothing really seemed a legit enough answer to be true. He felt something was terribly wrong, and had no idea what to do about it.

Tyrell and Karis weren't handling their disappearance a whole lot better. Tyrell had paced so much that Karis could've sworn he lost a pound or two, while Tyrell whined that Karis is never so quiet and thoughtful – for once she must not have a clue on how they were to go about finding them.

The mountain roc feather lay in the center of the table, exactly where they had left it when they first got back, and no one had laid a finger on it since. It seemed now that their whole journey had been entirely in vain. All they had done was played right into the Tuaparang's trap, triggered the Grave Eclipse and then activated the Apollo Lens. All in all, the two voided out one another, so it really ended up being a whole lot of action and adventure for nothing, at the cost of hundreds – if not thousands- of lives lost as the result of the Eclipse. They had gotten rid of Chalis and Blados, but that didn't really seem to matter since the entire Tuaparang was still at large. They had gotten the feather like they were supposed to, but what was the point if Isaac and Garet were gone? What if they were gone for good? What if they had gotten too close to the vortex and it drained them entirely?

Matthew was probably the most worried of all, or perhaps he was just the one that was expressing it most. He was always quiet, but to sit and stare at the wall or a fireplace for a week straight and hardly eat anything just wasn't like him.

Karis sat beside Matthew, racking her brain as she had been since they arrived; yet not a suggestion slipped from her mouth of what might've happened to them or where they could possibly be. Maybe she was just out of ideas, or perhaps it was because none of her ideas were too splendid. Tyrell remained pacing, like he had grown quite accustomed to, glancing occasionally towards a window or at Karis and Matthew. Eventually, Tyrell let out a shrug and nudged his best friend.

"Come on! You moping around that they're gone isn't going to bring them back, right Karis?" he said, turning towards the Wind Adept for support.

Karis looked up blankly.

"No, Tyrell's right; what we're doing isn't helping anything. We've got to act. The sooner we find them, the better," she replied wearily.

"What if there _is _no finding them?" Matthew muttered under his breath, tearing his eyes away from the fireplace down to the floor. It was a reality that he didn't want to accept, but at this point he thought he'd do best to at least admit that it was a possibility.

Karis and Tyrell looked at each other. It was something that they too didn't want to contemplate. Isaac and Garet were like uncles to Karis. They meant a lot to her, and it pained her greatly to think that they could actually be gone. She shook her head.

"That kind of thinking won't do, Matthew. You need to think positively – we _will _find them. Wherever they are. And if we don't, well… At least we'll find out what happened to them," Karis told him.

Tyrell sighed, pulling out a chair and sitting down in front of them.

"The question is: where do we start first?" he asked.

Karis frowned, thinking for a moment as she spread her hands across the table.

"Well, I've been giving that a lot of thought –"

Tyrell snorted, but Karis ignored him.

"—And I think we should go to Kalay."

"Why there?" Tyrell asked, dumbfounded.

Poor Tyrell was often times just a step behind the others. He was all brawny, but not too brainy, especially when it came to plots. He partly knew it too, that's why he always let it up to Karis to decide their strategy. It was easier, convenient, not to mention it always seemed to work better that way.

"Because," said Karis impatiently, "the rest of our parents are there. Perhaps there was an emergency and Isaac and Garet had to hurry back."

"Maybe," Matthew agreed, although he silently doubted it.

"Or if they _did_ go off somewhere, maybe they didn't tell us, but they told our parents."

"Could be," Tyrell muttered, taking a bite of an apple.

"Or maybe they are _in_ Kalay visiting! Jenna used to always gripe about how she never saw her husband anymore."

"My dad doesn't have any reason to go to Kalay," Tyrell said flatly. "The only family he's got left is me. Unless maybe he was just keeping Isaac company."

"I don't know, guys., that's an awful lot of maybes - it just doesn't make sense," Matthew said.

"I know, but we've got to do something, and if all else fails we can at least get some advice on what to do next," said Karis.

"And you'll get to visit your daddy," Tyrell added, grinning.

Karis glared at him and kicked him under the table. As Tyrell was cursing, Karis turned towards Matthew and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Matthew, I'm sure they're fine. I mean come on! This is the Warriors of Vale we're talking about here, nothing could've happened to them. I have full faith in them. You know your dad, they probably just went off adventuring a day or two ago and forgot to leave a note before they left. My dad says Isaac always had a tendency to do that."

Matthew looked over at her and gave her a small smile.

"Thanks, Karis."

Karis smiled back. At least it was a better response then she had gotten out of him in a long time.

"Good, it's settled then. Tomorrow we should set out for Kalay."

"I'm growing tired of all this setting out saving-the-world sort of thing, but somehow, someway, I just keep finding myself getting sucked right on into it," Tyrell muttered, resting his chin in his hand.

Karis looked back and forth between the two boys fondly. She had known them since early childhood, and felt as if they were the brothers she never had. Matthew was her kind, soft-spoken brother who would never lose his patience and would always protect her. Tyrell was her rough and tumble brother. If she wanted to have a good yell or wrestling match Tyrell would be the one she'd seek first. Despite Matthew and Tyrell's differences, and the fact that Tyrell always seemed to know just the right thing to make Karis mad, she cared about them both about equally. She hoped that she'd never see a day where she would have to choose to save one over the other. She just didn't think she could do it.

Her mind then drifted off to the other Adepts that they had journeyed with during their quest to save Weyard from the Grave Eclipse, and wondered how they were all fairing now. Had their lives gone back to normal now that it was all over? Or were they still trying to find their places in the new world? Himi probably just went back home. Karis hoped Kushinada would be okay once Himi got there. She had fallen unconscious just before Himi left, but she thought that had more to do with the fact that she couldn't bear losing her son and her daughter rather than her actually being ill.

Eoleo's father, Briggs, died to save them during the attack on Belinsk when the Grave Eclipse first began, but Eoleo seemed well over that once they left him. He seemed to feel as though he got his revenge on seeing Volechek die. Karis guessed that he probably just went back to treasure hunting and pirating like he always had.

Amiti went back to Ayuthay. She remembered him saying at dinner the evening before they all left that his uncle was ill, and that he'd have to return immediately. She figured that was probably why he left with such urgency, as she knew he wasn't entirely missing Ayuthay. In fact, she wasn't even so sure that he wanted to go back to Ayuthay at all. She knew that eventually he probably would, as he'd feel obligated to his uncle and his people, but she knew apart of him preferred the life of "freedom" outside of Ayuthay's isolated walls.

Rief went off to continue traveling with Kraden, and last she heard it was Rief who would be choosing where they would go next. At first, Karis had been skeptical about bringing Rief along, for beside them she felt like he was such a little kid, without any mortal combat training and shouldn't had to have been brought into any of it to begin with. It was due to a dirty scheme played by the Tuaparang that Rief had been forced to travel with them. But now, Karis thought it was fate that brought them all together. Rief proved to be quite useful, especially for strategizing and information.

The person she felt most sorry for would have to be Sveta. She had gone through the most out of all of them. Having to work behind her brother's back numerous times to help them, she also watched him sacrifice himself for her, and Karis knew that must've been painful to watch. Sveta was a strong, brave girl, so she knew that she'd be okay. But she wondered how she must be feeling, and felt so sorry that she had to deal with all of those emotions alone. She was also made Queen of Belinsk just before they had left, but Sveta seemed confident about her new position, and never let on for a second that she was overburdened or miserable – though Karis couldn't help but see it in her eyes.

That night was a quiet one as she lay on the living room couch. Matthew had offered for Karis to sleep in his father's room, but she just didn't feel comfortable doing that. She didn't like to invade people's private spaces, even if they weren't there.

She watched the ceiling for what seemed like hours before closing her eyes. It seemed like it was all over only a week ago, but now, they found themselves faced with yet a new challenge, one that looked not quite as simplistic as the last one. Finding Isaac and Garet alive might be a challenge. She knew that. But they had succeeded in ending the Grave Eclipse where not many others could have, right? If they had done that, then they too could handle this… Or so she hoped.

**Author's Note:**

Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I am so glad to hear everyone's enjoying it so far!

In this chapter I focused it mainly from Karis's point of view, and plan to sort of alternate it between her party and Amiti in each chapter, unless there is a 3rd party for a time then obviously I'd fit that in as well. I hope that won't be a mistake, but I'm trying to keep it as lively as possible.

As always, I love reviews. Lemme know what you think! :)


	3. Secrets Unveiled

Chapter III:

Amiti took a sip of coffee as he leafed through the pages of his mother's journal. The coronation ceremony had come and gone, and it hadn't been anywhere near as bad as Amiti had anticipated; yet he still had left shortly after the ceremony began. He just wasn't in the mood to celebrate anything. He also had been dying of curiosity to further inspect the journal he had found, and was very surprised at how demanding it was to be king. The journal had been in his possession for several days, yet this was only the fourth time he had managed to pull it out. It seemed in every last one of his spare moments he was needed to do something, or tend to the Chancellor's constant demands. He already had decided that after about a week of being king that his chancellor would have to go – he didn't seem to be that partial to Amiti.

Being king proved to be quite stressful, and he wasn't altogether certain that he enjoyed it, but he was happy that he was kept so busy. It was harder to dwell on the past and be distressed that way.

There were many answers that he sought for, and he knew that all of those answers resided in his hands; yet he hadn't managed to get himself to search for them. With the very little precious time that he had with the journal, he found it much more amusing to merely read it page by page, from the beginning on to hear his mother's words, and to read her thoughts.

He felt as if he were getting to truly know her, as if she were writing these notes and telling him of these events. There was so much Amiti never knew about his mother that he was discovering in her journal. He hadn't known that her favorite color was turquoise, nor her favorite song, or any of the hobbies that she enjoyed. He'd also just found out that she was an excellent clarinet player. It surprised Amiti how his uncle had failed to mention all of that. Although he was happy to learn more about her, he was slightly hurt that his uncle never told him anything about his mother, Veriti. Then again, he felt partly to blame for that. For deep inside, he felt ashamed that he never had wanted to know more about his mother, that it never occurred to him to ask his uncle about her. But then again, his uncle had been extremely close to his sister, and it pained him whenever Veriti was mentioned by anyone, so perhaps he had never spoken of her to Amiti because it hurt him too greatly.

The journal was a great reprieve from all of the duties of being a new king. Amiti took great pleasure of spending his time, browsing through his mother's notes. It relieved his stress and comforted him all at once. His childhood nurse and now personal maid, Marii, began to worry about Amiti always being absent from within the castle halls and always shut up in his room. She feared that perhaps he was merely sulking and overcome by grief over his uncle. He explained to her that was not the case, but she still didn't seem convinced. He hadn't told her about the journal – he hadn't wanted to tell anyone about that, nor did he feel the obligation to. It was saved for him, to find all of the answers that he needed.

To find the answers that he needed…

Amiti once again considered the message his uncle had left for him in the journal, and what he had told him before he died. Paithos's only words were about finding answers, not getting to know his mother. It wasn't like Amiti to just leaf through other people's thoughts and feelings like this, perhaps his uncle trusted his dignity to think that he wouldn't just browse through the journal at leisure? Maybe he thought that he would _only _seek answers and nothing more, that he would leave his mother's personal thoughts be with only gaining the knowledge he needed. If that should be the case, Amiti had let him down severely…

For several moments, Amiti contemplated the journal, his hand rested against its worn leather bound cover. He had found so much joy and comfort in reading it, and hated the thought of putting it away once he'd found the answers he was looking for. Yet he felt a pang of guilt from the time he first began reading it that he shouldn't; that it was wrong…

Amiti decided that for now he'd find anything his mother mentioned about his father, and then contemplate on what he should or shouldn't read in her journal later. At least he didn't have to cast it away entirely "yet".

He skipped through the pages, jumping to three years later when his mother was in her late teens and about a harvesting festival. His eyes lingered on it briefly, and then he kept moving forward. After jumping through a few more years, Amiti skimmed through the pages slower, not wanting to miss anything about the mention of the mysterious Water Adept that came to Ayuthay that his mother fell in love with. After a bit of searching with still not a trace, Amiti decided to skip to the back of the journal and start there:

"_I know it will be soon, although the doctor is telingl me otherwise. I've had this strong feeling it will be this week, yet no one believes me – I'll be surprised if the baby isn't born by tonight._

_I hope it is a boy. I don't know why, but I've always wanted a boy. Maybe because all I've really ever known is my brother and father. I hope he looks like his father. He was so handsome. Especially that hair, that blue, silky hair… Oh, I'll never forget it!_

_Perhaps this baby won't be a curse after all like I had originally thought it would be when I first found out I was expecting it. Maybe it will help relieve me of my pain of losing the man I loved so much, by looking at our beautiful child that reminds me so much of him. I'll get to be around it, day in and out, get to raise it, to love it, to care for it. Yes, I'm sure this all must've happened for a reason. I just hope it was for the better._

_I still haven't given up on him, the handsome Water Adept that came here to Ayuthay and fixed our Alchemy Well. He loved me, he said so himself, and told me that one day he'd come back. He had warned me that he was leaving, but I didn't believe him. I thought because he loved me perhaps he wouldn't. I guess I was wrong, and had I believed him perhaps I wouldn't have taken it so hard._

_Every day I still look out my window towards the north, hopeful that maybe, just maybe I'd see him make his way back just as I had the day that he arrived. That maybe I'd see that man, dressed in strange, exotic clothes from the north, with the long silky blue hair making his way towards Ayuthay again. For me. I trust him, and I know that he'll come back for me. And I'll be waiting, forever."_

Forever.

"No, she didn't wait forever," Amiti thought bitterly, "she _died_."

That entry brought tears to the Water Adept's eyes. It was written on the day he was born, and was the last thing his mother ever wrote. There were still many pages of the journal that remained to be written in, just waiting for ink to splash onto its pages; ink that never came. It tore his heart - especially because she had spoken of him! She had _hoped _thathe'd be a boy, and that he'd look like his father. He did indeed have his blue hair. He knew this because his mother had deep brown curls like his uncle. He didn't know if he looked like his father otherwise, but he knew he didn't really resemble his uncle much.

Veriti also spoke of his father numerous times, yet he noticed each and every time she failed to mention his name! Was it as though she were trying to keep it a secret, he wondered? His heart fell, leaning back against the pillows, as the realization of it all painfully hit him; perhaps Veriti had never mentioned his father's name all throughout the entire journal. It would be such a huge disappointment, as Amiti desperately wanted to know who he was, and furthermore, if he was still alive…

Amiti went back nine months into the journal, hoping to find her slip some mention of his name somewhere. He found many places where his mother had been speaking so romantically of the Water Adept, but she always failed to mention his name. He continued to flip through more pages and noticed the name Alex being mentioned several times throughout. He stopped a moment to read a rather short entry:

"_Alex and I went outside the city today! Can you believe it? Paithos would've been furious. I know he doesn't trust Alex the way I do and doesn't want me traveling alone with him, but I know it's safe. I think he likes me too! He must with the way that he looks into my eyes and smiles. That's another thing that would infuriate Paithos. He'd never understand. If he knew the way that Alex looked at me, he'd ban him from Ayuthay forever and I'd never see him again, as I'm not technically allowed outside of this kingdom's walls."_

Amiti frowned deeply, as he pondered over this passage for a moment. She apparently was quite fond of this Alex before his father. He had never known that, but then again he hardly knew anything about her and wasn't all that surprised that his uncle never mentioned him. Perhaps his uncle never knew that she had feelings for a man named Alex; that wouldn't have been all that surprising either. He then flipped a page back and found the Water Adept mentioned.

"_I hope this Water Adept manages to fix the Alchemy Well. He seems rather bright and intelligent, and seems very optimistic, so I'm very hopeful that maybe he'll succeed. So many others have looked at it before, yet no one has come anywhere close to fixing it! This Water Adept has been the first, so we're all praying for a miracle that maybe he'll get it to start back up again. If it does, Ayuthay just might become the most beautiful, flourished kingdom in the world!"_

This confused Amiti, for Veriti already knew his father before the mention of Alex, unless perhaps she didn't like the water adept before and was still with this Alex.

Amiti shook his head, failing to make sense of it all as he returned to some of the pages where she had mentioned Alex, and froze dead when reading his newest find:

"_Alex says he'll have to go back to his country soon. I really wish he wouldn't – we're just starting to really get to know each other! I know it's life but… It's just not fair. I wish there was a way that I could convince him to stay, only I wouldn't dream of telling him how I really feel about him – I'd probably most definitely make him leave, especially if he doesn't feel the same way._

_I really ought to stop writing his name in this journal. I mean, what if someone accidentally reads it? He's been very specific that no one can know his name, as he believed to have died about ten years ago and he prefers to keep it that way, although honestly I can't imagine why. After he fixed the Alchemy Well, he told me his name in private, but told my brother that he wished to remain anonymous for he didn't want to receive the credit for fixing it. I know that was just an excuse, I know he'd love to have been known for restarting the well, but he didn't want his name anywhere so he left it at that. So far my brother hasn't come up with any sort of excuse for the starting of the well, although I know he'll have to soon – too many people are searching for answers._

_I wish Alex didn't have to go back. I want to stop him, but I don't know what to do."_

Alex was the Water Adept. Amiti didn't know of any other with the name Alex except for the very notorious one that sought the power of the Golden Sun for eternal life and limitless power ten years before he was born; the very act that almost killed him, that everyone believed him to be dead for the past 30 years until Kraden revealed that the mysterious masked man "Arcanus" was actually Alex. But no, Amiti thought it couldn't be so. Alex was actually… _his father?_ He couldn't imagine Alex even being decent enough to be his father: to have ever been in love with his mother. Perhaps he never was - maybe he had been only using her to gain access the Alchemy Well…

Amiti closed his eyes, allowing his head to fall back against the headboard of his bed, the impact of which resulting to be quite painful. Amiti was shocked by this revelation; he had always been suspicious of Alex ever since he met him, but he never quite dreamed of him to be his father! Alex was greedy, devious, deceitful… The list went on and on. All of the Warriors of Vale hated him, yet Amiti was _his _son? Amiti wondered what the others would've thought of it. Perhaps they would no longer trust him, as they shared the same feelings for Alex as Amiti always had… Or to rephrase that, the feelings that Amiti always _wished _to have. He never had admitted this to anyone before, but he never actually felt hatred for Alex – not even great dislike for the man, although at that time he barely knew him and Alex seemed pretty content on starting the Grave Eclipse all throughout Weyard.

Amiti slammed the journal closed; his mind was spinning while his heart pounded up into his throat. He now wished that he never even looked, or even found the journal for that matter. He would've been much happier in ignorance of who his father truly was. It was surprising to Amiti that Paithos never even knew, but then again wasn't all that odd, in a sense. Alex was a schemer; it was no wonder he'd managed to slip in and out of Ayuthay so easily without his name being recorded by anyone.

Amiti set the journal aside on his bedside table as he got up, rummaging through a drawer whilst looking for his brush. He'd spent much time contemplating Alex, wondering how he'd managed to wind up with his mother to begin with. His mother seemed to have known Alex's real name, why would he have told her? Why didn't he lie to her, as he did everyone else? Had he indeed used her to get to the Alchemy Well? Did he not care about her at all? And, more importantly, did he know about Amiti? That he was indeed his son? Amiti rather doubted it, for when they all had met the first time around and even upon hearing Amiti's name, Alex didn't seem phased by it whatsoever, unless of course perhaps he truly didn't care. Amiti then began to wonder about a statement that his mother had made: Alex had promised to come back to her, and she was sure that he would. Had Alex been to Ayuthay over the past twenty years? He could've easily snuck in without Amiti's knowledge. Perhaps he'd even met him before when he was really young, but he never recalled it. Surely he would've remembered a strange masked man with blue hair appearing in their kingdom. No, the more that Amiti thought about it, the more he came to realize that they were probably all empty promises that Alex had left with his mother. Like Rief had said about him before, he doubted that Alex had ever honored any vow or promise in his life – he seriously began to wonder if Alex even knew what those things meant.

Apart of him wanted to forget about ever finding that entry in Veriti's journal, he was so much happier without knowing. As bad as it might've been, he partly wanted to forget about Alex entirely. Yet, another part of him wanted to go out and find him, to make him pay for using his mother. Who knew; perhaps the traitor had even helped play a role in Veriti's death. Amiti knew revenge wouldn't do any good, it wouldn't bring his mother back to him, but he wanted to make Alex pay.

It was about time somebody did.

**Author's Note:**

Thank you all so much for the reviews. It really means a lot to me to know people are interested, and what everyone thinks I should do to improve it.

I've had a few people ask me if this is going to be a "stormshipping" fanfic. Honestly, I'm not too good with what shippings are which exactly, but I have contemplated a Karis/Amiti pairing towards the end. I didn't intend for this story to revolve around that, or _them,_ but I was thinking to add it in. Is this a good idea? Bad?

Please read and review to let me know what you think so far! :) Thanks for reading!


	4. Visit From An Old Friend

Chapter IV:

Loud chatter surrounded them from every direction in the cram-packed restaurant. It was the best restaurant in Lalivero, and at lunch hour – on Fridays in particular – it was very, _very _busy.

Some people probably went for the crowds, although most probably came for the food. As for Felix and Sheba, they happened to simply be passing through, and were quite disappointed when they had to wait forty-five minutes just to get a table. Little did they know what sort of mess they'd end up getting tangled into, and now that their order was already in and being made, they didn't want to back out now. Although at this point, Felix was definitely getting a little bit annoyed.

Discussions were simply out of the question amongst the noise they were in. Sheba constantly kept trying to yell over it to Felix, although after four or five times Felix would wave his hand irritably and just give up. Never again would he make the mistake of coming to dine in Lalivero's famous restaurant on a Friday – never.

Felix twisted his napkin, surveying the crowd around him. Although it had been thirty years since their quest to activate the Golden Sun, no one had forgotten his name – or face for that matter, as he'd hardly aged since then. While some people praised him for his efforts, others hated him for it as well. Their acts had saved Weyard from a terrible end, yet it also unleashed many evils in the world, including all of the appearances of Psynergy Vortexes and mad-driven people seeking more Alchemy. He knew nothing could be done to stop those who wished him ill, but he always hated being so vulnerable in a crowd such as this, especially with Sheba.

"So, are you excited to finally be going home, Felix?" Sheba asked him over the roar of people surrounding them.

"Huh?" Felix asked irritably, cupping a hand around his ear in order to hear her properly.

Sheba stretched across the table towards him and yelled at the top of her lungs, which resulted in being quite loud. "Going home! Are you happy?"

"Oh," Felix said, "yeah..."

Truth was, the thought of going home didn't entirely please Felix. After all, home was gone. The only remains of home were the ruins of Vale around where Sol Sanctum used to be, as even Mt. Aleph was primarily destroyed. He had "sort" of lived in Kalay for a time, but left shortly after his nephew, Matthew was born. In a sense, Felix refused to call Kalay home, as he remembered Vale quite vividly, and loved it so much. He was very saddened to finally return to Vale after all of the constant strife to find it destroyed, and could never call another place home again. Although he had been living in Tolbi for some time, he didn't call it home either. Home was Vale, and Vale was gone. Unless it could be resurrected, which in Felix's opinion wasn't impossible, he'd never have a home again.

Sheba frowned. "Aren't you excited to see your family again?"

It was Felix's turn to lean across the table and scream.

"Well, I don't think my parents are alive anymore. It's been too long and mom was already sick back when I still lived there. And Jenna – Well, I'm sure she's happy. She's got Isaac, why wouldn't she be happy?"

"I didn't think she had Isaac. Last I spoke with Ivan, he said that Jenna never even sees Isaac _or _Matthew anymore," Sheba yelled.

"Why not?" Felix asked, partly annoyed.

"Because he's been living on that Plateau overlooking Mt. Aleph, remember?"

"No,"

"Oh, I thought someone told you. He's guarding the Wise One, whatever that's supposed to mean."

"Oh, who cares about the Wise One!" said Felix, more to himself than to Sheba. "The Wise One hasn't helped us all that much, with the exception of handing us our parents to kill."

Sheba bit her lip; she didn't know Felix was still so bitter about that. During their quest to light the final lighthouse and restore Alchemy, the Wise One had attempted to stop them with a final test – Felix's parents and Isaac's father in the form of a dragon to defeat. They had nearly killed their parents, and it was only due to the powers of the Mars Lighthouse being ignited that managed to revive them. Felix felt that was too close of a call, and not nice on the Wise One's part. Sheba felt it an adequate test, especially since it was already thought out that Felix's parents wouldn't die, but she dared not say this to Felix, especially since he was so opinionated about it.

"I'm just irritated that Isaac's not taking better care of my sister. Oh well, when I get back I'll just have to wring his neck, that's all," Felix said.

Sheba grinned up at him.

"I thought Isaac was your best friend?"

"Who, Isaac? I _put up_ with him, but he's definitely not my best friend. Not by a long shot. All it really was is we grew up in a small town, where everyone's into each other's business, and everyone knows each other. When you grow up with someone like that, you can't help but feel close to them. For years the only kids I ever played with were Isaac and Garet. Jenna too, for that matter," Felix explained.

"Sounds like a best friend to me."

"I said he's _not _my best friend, especially since he's not treating my sister right."

"What if this is _really _important, what Isaac's doing?" Sheba suggested.

"It isn't," Felix insisted. "He's just guarding a stupid hunk of rock that's probably already crumbled into little, tiny pieces at the center of the earth."

"Okay, if you say so." Sheba said, still grinning.

While Felix muttered quietly that Isaac was _not _his best friend, Sheba noticed a man by the window in the shadows watching them. Nervous chills ran down her spine as she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She hated it when people gawked. Normally they were up to no good. As she glanced over at him, however, he looked away, but she had the horrible feeling that they were being watched. Sheba squinted, trying to observe the man more carefully, but groups of people passing by the dozen were crossing between them so that it would've been virtually impossible to ever get a good look at him. All that was really noticeable was his rather large sunhat. She wished that she were closer so that she could read his mind and see for herself what he was thinking, just to be safe. After a moment she shook her head, thinking herself to be too suspicious of others. She had been a little paranoid too since the Golden Sun event, and after the attack they had been through on the night of their honeymoon.

Felix and Sheba had been traveling together for nearly sixteen years, and while Sheba was quite fond of Felix, Felix never seemed to express it – only on a rare occasion and even during those times it seemed to be more on accident. Originally they had left Kalay to observe the after affects of the Golden Sun, similarly to Isaac. Felix had gone hoping that if he did, Isaac wouldn't have to and that he'd be able to stay with his sister. Felix was quite frustrated to find out that it didn't matter - Isaac left home anyway. And overtime, he as though he shouldn't have even bothered; Isaac would remain Isaac, regardless of what Felix did.

Overtime, however, their observation of the after affects developed into a quest to find Sheba's origin and the truth behind her parents. They had spent almost a year doing so, but after no success whatsoever they had given up, and that was when Felix had proposed to her. Sheba was speechless, yet very pleased. She had had feelings for Felix back when they had first begun their journey to light the lighthouses together, and was so glad to discover that Felix had as well. They had been married for a little over eight months, and no one in Felix's family knew about it yet. That was partly why Felix was a little hesitant to return home. Sheba was overjoyed to tell them, whereas Felix was not.

"I'm sorry we never found your parents," Felix said suddenly after a moment, while breaking away from his reminisce.

Sheba nodded.

"It's okay, Felix. Thank you for trying. My guess is that they've probably died by now anyway. I just hope your family is still intact back in Kalay."

"Me too,"

"I wonder what they'll think of us being married."

"I have no idea," said Felix, averting his eyes from hers.

"Do you think they'll be happy for us?"

"I don't know, but I'm guessing Jenna will certainly let me have an earful after all I said about her and Isaac –"

Sheba suddenly felt a sharp pain in her calf, as she let out a gasp in surprise. In an instant, Felix's expression changed to worry as he quickly inquired as to what was wrong. She ran a hand down her leg and found a shard of thin glass tucked sleekly into her leg. She pulled it out sharply, as she then began looking around for its source. No one seemed to have noticed her cry out in pain, nor that she had been cut. She observed the floor around her, but saw nowhere that the glass could've come from.

"Oh wow," Felix muttered, noticing the shard of bloodied up glass in her hand, "that must've hurt, are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Sheba said shortly, looking around hesitantly. She was quite miffed as to how she had gotten cut in the first place, as there were no other traces of glass to be seen.

"Listen, I'm going to go get cleaned up before the food's here. I'll be right back."

"Okay,"

Felix checked his watch. So far they had been waiting for their food for the past hour and a half. If he had to wait much longer he was going to march right up to their manager and demand a refund. He could understand forty-five minutes, an hour tops. But to wait nearly two hours for food? This was starting to get out of hand.

Felix hadn't noticed the footsteps behind him nor that there were someone there until a glass had been set down beside him, causing him to jump, and a man sat down in a chair at his table.

"Hello, Felix. It's been far too long. You don't know where I've been trying to find you," the man with the oversized sunhat said, waving a hand carelessly. "This restaurant sure is ridiculous on Fridays, isn't it? I've been waiting for my food for over an hour –"

"What do you want, Alex?" Felix said through gritted teeth.

The Water Adept looked up, tilting the sunhat up to better reveal his face, his long blue locks falling gracefully over his shoulders and down his back. Felix hadn't seen him in thirty years, yet he still looked quite the same as he remembered him. Like Felix, Alex hadn't seemed to age the same way as normal people would.

"What's wrong, Felix? You don't seem all too happy to see me."

"I'm sorry, Alex. Am I _supposed _to be happy to see you? After all, you nearly got us all killed _several _times AND you went after the power of the Golden Sun to rule to world."

"No, no – You misunderstand my motives: not rule the world, but simply to help, ah, _improve upon it_."

"Whatever. What are you doing here, and how did you find me?" Felix asked him.

Alex looked a little taken aback, taking a sip of from the glass that he brought over.

"I'll tell you, Felix. If you were trying to hide out – you've done an impressive job of it. I almost didn't find you. It was only by mere chance that I spoke to the right person at the right time and they said they saw you here in Lalivero. Although I've promised not to spread word of the woman who told me, for if I did it wouldn't be very nice."

"Okay, so you found me." Felix said, not enjoying the new company of the man that he hoped to have been dead after not hearing from him for thirty years. "Why did you bother?"

"Because," said Alex, leaning closer in order to be heard, his cold breath bearing down upon Felix's shoulder, "I needed to speak with you."

"About?"

"A business proposition, my friend. I could use your help."

"I'm not your friend."

"Hmm, seems like you don't have very many of those. I couldn't help but overhear you telling Sheba that Isaac's not your friend either."

"Isaac is more my friend than _you _are," Felix shot back. "Just go away, Alex. I want nothing to do with you or your proposition."

"That's not very considerate of you. Won't you even hear what I have to say?"

Felix shrugged. He didn't really want to give Alex the opportunity to. Alex had a way of manipulating people to do what he wanted them to, and Felix wanted to stay clear away from it. He'd tangled with Alex and his group once before - he didn't really want to do it again.

"Good, now let me explain." Alex straightened himself, removing the oversized sunhat and casting it aside carelessly. "I haven't just been enjoying myself since we all separated."

"No, I guess not. We were busy saving Weyard while you were off trying to gain control of it. I'm sure that must've not been very enjoyable for you," Felix said sarcastically.

Alex ignored him and continued.

"I had barely survived. Too weak to move, too overburdened with pain to think. If it hadn't been for Mia, I would've died."

"Mia saved you?" Felix exclaimed, unable to believe it.

"No need to shout Felix, I can hear you. Yes, Mia saved me," replied Alex. "Didn't you wonder why Mia hadn't shown up for the celebration that night?"

It was true. Mia hadn't shown up. Sheba had looked grave and told them all that Mia wasn't feeling well and that she'd have to skip over the celebration that was being hosted by the survivors of Vale for their warriors, but Felix began to wonder if that were but a story that Sheba had invented – as Sheba had a way of reading minds, and would've known what Mia's true intents were. Alex seemed to be walking proof that it were true; she had indeed gone to save him, only it was hard to imagine that Mia would've just forgiven Alex so easily. They were cousins and grew up together, was it really unreasonable for Felix to expect Mia to feel differently? Even though Alex had indeed betrayed them?

"So, why are you only now resurfacing?" Felix asked him, for once actually curious to hear Alex's answer.

"Because only now have I completed my research; now I know what I have to do. Felix, I need your help. I cannot do all of this alone. Weyard and all Adepts will meet a very grim fate if you don't help me."

"A grim fate? Yeah, I know. Power-mongering humans such as yourself are trying to consume all Alchemy. And no, Alex, I won't be your little pawn and help you to get it."

Alex sat back, tsking.

"Well, I certainly came upon you in a bad mood, didn't I? No, Felix. I don't want Alchemy or power. I have power enough-"

Felix snorted at this.

Alex looked genuinely put out as he pushed himself away from the table.

"Fine, have it your way then. I'm through talking with you, Felix. If you want to allow more Adepts to continue to drop down dead as they have been due to this violent illness and watch all of Weyard get swallowed up by darkness, then fine by me. I thought you would've been decent enough to at least hear me out. But never mind, let Weyard die, and just know, deep down – that it was your fault."

"Whoa, wait a minute now, wait a minute. Why do you say _only_ Adepts will die? Are you talking about that new flu or something that everyone's so uptight about?"

"Are you _not_ uptight about it?" Alex asked, his voice remaining calm. "People are dying each day from this virus, Felix - and they're all Adepts, too. Do you not wonder why it's only affecting Adepts, and why it attacks them so violently?"

"It's new, they haven't come up with a cure for it is all," Felix explained logically. "Just because a few Adepts came down with it first doesn't mean we Adepts exclusively are vulnerable. That's ludicrous."

"But it's true," Alex said in barely more than a whisper. "I've found the source of this disease, and unless you help me to put an end to it, we all will be exterminated, and much, much worse."

"What's worse?"

"I already told you," said Alex irritably, "all of Weyard is in danger. We must move quickly, to travel to the heart of Weyard if we want to stop it before it's too late –"

"The heart of Weyard? As in the "center of the earth"?"

"Yes,"

"Now you're getting to sound mental. How do you expect _two _Adepts such as ourselves to do that?"

"Through the Psynergy Well."

Felix laughed. He couldn't imagine how long it must've taken Alex to come up with this story to coerce people into working for him to gain power. He just hoped no one fell victim to it. This was the largest lie he had ever heard, and quite farfetched considering it was coming from Alex.

"The Psynergy Well? It doesn't exist! Don't you think a well that deep collecting Psynergy from all living things that leads down to a mythical beast at the center of the earth would've really gone unnoticed over all of these years?" Felix asked him incredulously.

"It's a matter of knowing where to look, my dear boy. And yes, I believe in this—"

"Then you're more of an idiot than you look," Felix said with disgust. "Go away, Alex. Take your legends with you. There is no such thing, I swear on it. Go look to your heart's content, for all of your miserable life for that matter – and I swear to you that you'll never find it."

"So, you're not with me then? After everything I've told you about all of our precious Adepts? And that our world will soon perish?" Alex asked hopefully.

"No, listen Alex: I know this isn't true. You know why? You wouldn't be doing something out of best interests for other people. You don't care that much, there must be something in it for you. I don't buy it that you're out to merely play "hero" for everyone," Felix said.

"You don't know me as well as you might think you do," Alex muttered quietly.

He then stood up, seizing his oversized sunhat.

"Never mind then, Felix. Just remember what I said: when it's all too late to do anything about it."

Felix looked away from him, refusing to take any of it in. Alex was trying to lay guilt on him; Felix was accustomed enough to his ways to know that. He also doubted anything Alex said were true. He'd probably just found a new way to gain something and merely wanted to use Felix to get it. Although it had indeed been thirty years since his initial usage of all of them, he doubted that _anyone_, especially Alex, could've changed that much during that duration.

When Felix looked up Alex was gone without leaving a trace; he assumed that he had probably teleported. Felix sighed, what a way to spend his afternoon.

Sheba came back after a moment, unwrapping a piece of gum as she took a seat.

"The food still isn't here yet?" she asked incredulously.

"No," Felix replied shortly. "How's your leg? Did you get the glass out of it?"

"Oh, it wasn't glass," Sheba said, frowning. "It's the strangest thing, really. But it was ice."

"Ice…" Felix repeated.

"Yeah, I have _no _idea how that possibly could've happened!"

"I really wonder…" Felix said through gritted teeth.

"Hmm? What's that, Felix?" Sheba asked, smiling over at him.

"I wonder when this damn food will ever get here! We've been waiting for nearly two hours!" Felix said loudly, getting up and nearly knocking his chair over as he did.

Sheba blinked, watching Felix walk away. She dared not ask him where he was going; she didn't think that she really wanted to know. Her only guess was perhaps the manager, and boy did she feel sorry for him.

**Author's Note:**

It was a last minute idea, but I had some wonderful thoughts on how I can involve Felix and Sheba into the story! I was so frustrated that Dark Dawn excluded them entirely. I plan to make the original warriors of Vale appear a lot in this fanfic.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had a lot of fun trying to write Alex's character in particular :) Please read and review, let me know what you thought!


	5. Escape

Chapter V:

Amiti had spent much time being shut away in his room, and this time it wasn't due to attempting to read the journal – but rather to stay away from everyone.

The realization of who his father truly was hit him hard, and he wasn't ready to face anyone with it yet. Although he discovered that most of his subjects already knew that his mother, Veriti wasn't an Adept and that he truly did have a father, they didn't know what kind of a man he was. If they but knew, Amiti thought he'd very likely be disinherited from the royal family and the throne; not that he minded this much at this point. In truth, he found himself to be quite overburdened by the chore of it. At first he didn't mind being king, it took his mind off of grieving over his uncle and the other thoughts that constantly clouded his mind, but now it was becoming quite a burden to deal with and he didn't have much of anyone to turn to.

The Chancellor seemed to hate him. He never liked Amiti as a child, and still didn't to that day. He was always quite unhelpful, even when Amiti would go to him for advice would he rarely provide it. Amiti wished he'd just go away, but didn't feel like it was his place to get rid of him, seeing as he had just become king a mere few days ago. His personal maid and royal advisor, Marii, was more of an aunt or motherly type figure to Amiti, which was not someone that he could really go to with his problems either. She wasn't the gentle, loving, caring sort of aunt, but more of a rough one - ready to scold him in an instant or tell other people off if they were harming him in some way. She was very protective over him, but he only told her things when he absolutely found it necessary – otherwise he simply preferred to skip the drama.

Baghi was Amiti's childhood friend from Passaj. Whenever Passaj's elder would come to Ayuthay, Baghi and Amiti would be inseparable. They were best friends, and back in the day Amiti could trust Baghi with anything. That was then, however, and they had both grown up so much and changed since then. He felt as though he really didn't know his old best friend anymore. Much less to actually tell him something so serious as this. No – he had to keep this to himself - no matter how much it hurt.

And it did indeed hurt him… quite greatly.

Amiti felt this man to have been a murderer, believing Veriti had probably died from being overburdened with grief of Alex leaving her, and couldn't tolerate the stress of it all. He heard tell that she gave up on trying to live during the months that she was pregnant with Amiti; it was no wonder that during the time of his birth her body could no longer cling onto life, for it had suffered enough. All that could run through Amiti's mind was that everything that had transpired, everything that went wrong all was Alex's fault. Were it not for him pretending to love his mother, she might possibly be alive right then. True, had Alex not pretended, Amiti would not exist, but that didn't matter to him then - for at this point, Amiti felt unworthy of existing. It was a false love that brought him into the world, and should never have happened. At least, that was his opinion on the matter. He knew his uncle Paithos would've thought differently, but even the great Paithos was occasionally wrong.

He had nothing but disdainful thoughts towards Alex. Before he had known Alex was his father, he had honestly thought he didn't seem like that bad of a man. True, power had a tendency to go to Alex's head, but for the most part he had never done any harm to any of the Adepts, and had actually aided them in the ending of the Eclipse, despite the Tuaparang's wishes. Surely a man that would sacrifice his own reputation and position within the Tuaparang to benefit others couldn't be entirely evil, could he? But then again, he'd also brought the Grave Eclipse upon Weyard with just as much enthusiasm, it was a wonder that he had changed his mind and would stop at nothing to end it. Alex worked in strange ways; Amiti had to give him that. It was quite hard to interpret the man, but Amiti definitely understood him to be this: a manipulator and game-player, one that would do anything that it took to get what he wanted most – no matter how many people he had to hurt in the process.

Amiti very much wished to leave Ayuthay then and there, despite all of his obligations, to go put a stop to Alex. He wanted to make him pay for the crimes he had committed against the world, and more personally, against his mother. He really didn't know if he stood much of a chance against the very powerful Alex, but he would die trying if he must. But of course, now he was king and unable to leave Ayuthay due to his obligation to his people, though he very much wished that he could.

Amiti sighed, leaning against the wall in the corridor. Life was never straightforward and always had to be so complicated. Had he only not found that journal…

"Amiti?"

The voice of the young woman interrupted his thoughts as he looked up to see Lia, Marii's daughter walking up to him, a worried expression written plainly on her face. She was a year younger than Amiti, and quite pretty. Her dark curls matched the color of her eyes perfectly; her rosy cheeks were still round, having not hollowed out with age the way that they normally would at eighteen. It was quite obvious to everyone around that Lia had a severe crush on him, especially during recent years. She would follow him around constantly and try to be flirtatious. Whether or not he noticed was debatable, for he always chose to ignore it if he did.

"Oh, hello Lia. I'm sorry, I did not see you there."

"I've noticed you've been a little preoccupied, is something the matter?" she asked him concernedly, taking a step forward.

"No, nothing's wrong. I guess it's only the stress of being king that's wearing on me. I don't know how my uncle had dealt with it all," Amiti lied.

Lia's expression darkened at the mention of Paithos. She took Amiti's hand somberly and gave it a small squeeze.

"I'm very sorry about your uncle, Amiti. We will always miss him. He was such a wonderful king."

"Yes, he most certainly was," replied Amiti, as he took her hand in return awkwardly.

Lia remained silent a moment, seeming to be deep in thought, then said quietly, "you figured it out, didn't you?"

"What?"

"The message that your uncle left you. You found the place where it was hidden, didn't you?"

Amiti looked slightly taken aback, and failed to remove the offense from his tone.

"How- how did you know about that?"

Lia blushed a deep shade of rose.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't meaning to eavesdrop, Amiti. It's just that I happened to be in the room at the time that the king was telling you, and – well, if you must know, I've been looking for it for you."

Amiti blinked. "What? Why?"

"I've been trying to find it for you. I don't know what it is exactly, but I've been looking around in your mother's tomb for something that was hidden, but I swear, I couldn't find anything! You did though, didn't you? You're so much smarter than me, Amiti, I'm sure you must've figured it out."

Amiti hesitated, not knowing how much he really wanted to tell Lia, of all people.

"I, umm, did find it, yes."

Lia beamed up at him.

"Oh, good! That's wonderful! I knew you could do it! So, you found it, then? Is that why you look so grave now? What did you find out? Please tell me! I promise I'll remain silent and won't tell a soul. You know you can count on me, Amiti. Don't you?"

Amiti glanced up and down the halls reluctantly. He really didn't feel like sharing this revelation with the over-enthusiastic Lia, yet he felt as though he really needed to speak with someone on the matter, and Lia wouldn't lecture him or accuse him even if she truly felt negative towards him once hearing what he had to say.

"Well, okay," Amiti agreed at last. "But not here."

Lia nodded.

"Yes, yes. Okay, let's talk in my room."

He eyed her suspiciously, causing the brunette to blush again as she realized how awkward her words might have been interpreted.

"I'm sorry, I just meant it'd be somewhere private."

"I knew that," said Amiti irritably. Even the Water Adept's patience had its limits. "Listen, it's okay. I do not really feel much like talking about it right now anyway, so I will just tend to some paperwork and I'll see you later –"

"No! It's okay, I'm sorry! Please talk to me, I know it'll make you feel better once you do."

Would it really make him feel better, or herself, Amiti wondered. He partly figured that she was probably right; he would feel relieved to let some of this burden on to someone else, but he was still unsure of how reliable Lia's word was to keep a secret. He had actually never entrusted her with one before. Knowing her personality, he doubted that she'd manage to do a good job, but perhaps due to her loyalty to him she'd manage to. He hoped that she would, at any rate.

"Let us go to my study," he said, breaking up the awkward silence as he gestured towards the hall. "It'll be plenty private, and that way I can get to my paperwork as well."

Lia nodded, not meeting the young king's eye.

"Okay."

They had been only a hall away from Amiti's study: the very study that had at one time belonged to his uncle. Upon entering, Lia shut the door and leaned against it, studying Amiti carefully, waiting for him to speak. Amiti sank into his chair slowly, not entirely certain on where to begin, and soon he found himself telling Lia the whole story from start to finish: from the discovery of the journal, to reading its every page, whilst wondering if even that were truly correct to do or not, and to the discovery on who his father truly was. After he finished, to his surprise he actually _did _feel relieved.

Lia was a sympathetic listener. She bit her lip at all the appropriate moments, and there were several times when she'd said "Oh, how awful!" She did very well attempting to comfort him, perhaps too well in Amiti's opinion.

"Don't blame yourself for your father's actions, Amiti. There is nothing that you could've done to stop him. Be content knowing that you are nothing like the man that he is, if you could even call him that. How awful to use a woman's kindness just to gain power."

"Yes, it is pretty terrible."

"I'm so sorry, what a mess to have go through alone!" Lia exclaimed, folding her hands in her lap.

"It's okay," he replied quietly. "I'm overcoming it now. Although I know that it is wrong, I wish I could get revenge on Alex."

"There's nothing wrong with revenge if someone has done something truly wrong as your father did! If I were you, I'd send some soldiers to arrest him, have him serve prison time! You have to do _something_ to him!"

Amiti hesitated, watching the eager brunette warily for a moment. Everything that she was telling him to do was directly against all of his previous teachings, yet it quite fit in much with his desires – eerily so. Paithos had emphasized upon Amiti to always practice patience and kindness, and most importantly to always shed mercy to others; even _if_ they had done something gravely wrong. Amiti was gentle in nature, so he adapted to this way quite easily. Rarely did he ever feel rage in his heart as he did for Alex then. Apart of him felt that his vengeance against Alex was wrong, that no matter what Alex did, or how he ended up to be that way, he was indeed his father, and that he would do best to forgive him. Although no matter how hard Amiti tried, he just couldn't do it. Alex had gone too far, not caring what lives he messed up just to get what he wanted.

"No, Lia. I do not want to send soldiers out to find him," Amiti explained. "I want to find him, _myself_. I personally wish to see to it that he gets exactly as he deserves, which in my opinion is more than serving prison time."

For a moment Lia faltered, surprised by Amiti's reaction. She was so accustomed to his gentle nature that she was slightly taken aback by his sudden rage for Alex. She merely nodded.

"I think you should."

"But I cannot."

Lia tilted her head slightly.

"Why not?" she asked him.

"I'm king now, Lia. I cannot go. I am obliged to the people of Ayuthay now, there is no way that I could leave," Amiti replied wearily.

Lia looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you," said Lia somberly. "You know that I'd do anything to help you, Amiti, don't you?"

Amiti leaned back away from her in his seat, beginning to feel rather uncomfortable around her; not that he didn't always, but particularly when she would strike up this tone and when she'd have that pleading look in her eye, like a sick puppy that needed to latch onto someone. Although some people would be flattered – he found it to be quite annoying.

"I know that, and I thank you, Lia."

Lia smiled at him, leaning forward in her seat.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she said in barely more than a whisper, becoming quite close to Amiti now.

"Umm, not that I can think of," he muttered awkwardly, desperate to get away before things got anymore awkward than they already were. "I'm sorry to leave so abruptly, Lia, but I just remembered that I promised the Chancellor that I would meet with him around five. Would you excuse me?"

Without waiting for her answer, Amiti got up and quickly left the room, leaving a dumbfounded Lia behind.

It was but a lie: he had no meeting promised with the chancellor, but he felt the need to excuse himself as quickly as possible. He didn't know how he'd even managed to tell a girl like Lia all of his problems; he was certain that he'd just had a bout of insanity.

He suddenly wished one of the Adepts were there. Regardless if they would be accepting of the fact that Alex was his father or not, he'd feel comfortable telling them. He knew Karis or Matthew would probably understand, although he couldn't vouch for the others. Even if they didn't… At least he could share his frustration with someone he could trust. Telling Lia left him feeling open and vulnerable… Lia loved gossip; it never occurred to Amiti that Lia might take things too far with the information he had provided her. But then again, she _had_ indeed promised him that she'd keep it a secret, so he could only hope and pray that she would remain true to her word –at least until he had the courage to tell everyone himself.

He continued down the hall with no real destination in mind. He thought of perhaps paying a visit down to the kids who enjoyed playing by the fountain – it was something that he used to always do back when he was merely prince of Ayuthay. He then thought of visiting his uncle's old friend that lived down south of the palace, but all of those thoughts overall sounded unappealing to him. With either option he chose, he'd be forced to act all merry and cheerful, something in which he had grown quite tired of in the past several days of his new position.

It was then that two maids came rushing into the hall, glancing around frantically. They caught Amiti's attention instantly, and immediately he noticed the blood stained on their aprons - blood that still looked to be quite fresh. He went over to them as they were whispering in low voices frantically to one another.

"Is everything okay? What's wrong?" he asked them cautiously.

One of the maids whipped around to look at him. She was trembling terribly, frantically wringing her bloodstained apron in her hands.

"Oh, Amiti – Forgive me, your highness - Kaocho is at it again! We are at war!" she cried, raising a hand to her mouth.

Amiti took her free hand to calm her, as he then turned to the second of the maids.

"What has happened? And what makes you assume that we are at war with Kaocho?" he asked, despite the anxiety held between the two maids, his voice managing to remain serene and calm.

The other maid gulped, her sapphire eyes looking fearful as she met the young king's gaze.

"One of our soldiers that had left to Passaj just came back – gravely injured. He had overheard some of King Wo's plans and –"

"No! There's no time! One of the survivors made it back alive with news for you. Please, your highness, would you be able to come heal him?" The first maid pleaded.

Amiti nodded slowly, confusion clouding his mind. This was just what he needed – Kaocho to be stupid and be at war with him. He hoped that perhaps King Wo could be talked down, but he highly doubted it. Amiti sighed; he certainly wasn't prepared for this.

The maids led him to the room where the injured soldier lay. He was in terrible shape to be certain. He had several wounds on his chest, and his arm was mangled terribly as though it were possibly broken. Amiti made his way over to the injured man, who upon seeing his king tried to speak, but in the end it came out as something garbled and coughed up blood.

"Please, don't speak. Let me heal you," Amiti said soothingly, reaching his fingers towards the man's flesh under his sleeve, needing to make skin contact in order to thoroughly heal him.

It took several seconds, but slowly the pain within the soldier began to die down, and the man felt as though the wounds were simply dissolving from his body. Although still weakened from his great loss of blood and his arm still broken, the man was still feeling much better than he had, and instantly mustered up the strength to speak.

"I – me and my comrades – passed through Kaocho."

"Yes, Rhia was explaining to me that you had managed to overhear King Wo –"Amiti said gently, attempting to calm the injured soldier.

"No – not King Wo, but his advisor," the soldier let out with a pain-induced gasp. "Please – please you must run immediately – for you are in – grave danger."

"Run? From what?" asked Amiti incredulously, "I cannot simply leave my people. Surely all of Ayuthay is in danger, I will not only save myself."

"No, it is not Ayuthay that they are after," the soldier said weakly, "but you, Amiti. They have passed a new law, due to the pandemic that is traveling through Adepts. He has managed to convince all of – all of Angara to send Adepts into isolation camps – until – the disease dies out, or the Adepts do."

"What?" Amiti asked furiously. "They cannot do that! That's terrible! I must go to King Wo at once and stop him before they order –"

"No, Amiti, it's too late. The law has already been passed, all of the land's leaders have already signed the agreement."

"I have signed no agreement," Amiti stated flatly. "I will go to him and order him to stop."

The soldier groaned, partly from pain, and partly from Amiti's lack of understanding of politics.

"No, you do not have the power to do that. You did not have to sign because you are – one."

"One what?"

"An Adept," the soldier replied impatiently. "Your word will not count. Wo knows – of your abilities. He's coming to get you and – and-"

"And what? What else does he wish to do?"

The soldier cried out.

"My dear boy, isn't that obvious? To do what King Wo had set out to long ago: take over Ayuthay. And now with all of Angara standing behind him, he has the power to do so."

"No," Amiti muttered quietly, moving away from the wounded soldier before him. "There must be something we can do."

"We are gravely outnumbered, so it seems, if all of Angara is truly backing King Wo up," a sharp voice, belonging to the Chancellor, said from behind them.

Amiti glanced over; he hadn't heard the Chancellor enter, or perhaps it was due to being so lost in thought that simply distracted him from noticing.

"We must hold our grounds," Amiti said firmly. "Stay hidden underground until we strategize –"

"Strategizing will only waste time," the Chancellor explained impatiently. "Overall it will do no good, for in the end we'll be forced to leave one way or another for food and such."

"We have supply enough of food down below," Amiti replied. "Let us use what we can –"

The Chancellor shook his head.

"We need allies. Without them, Amiti, one way or another we will lose this battle - only it is up to you how many lives we must lose with it."

Amiti remained silent, staring at the chancellor with a blank expression. Only moments ago, his largest problems seemed only to remain with revenge over his father, but now those things seemed quite small and insignificant – this greater stance was far worse.

"I – I don't know," Amit faltered. "We cannot just give up Ayuthay."

"Then go," the Chancellor said shortly. "Take this soldier's advice and run, Amiti. Perhaps we will be able to hold them off from taking over until they find you. Go to Morgal. Find allies for us, we will need them: only then will we be able to consider fighting back."

"I cannot simply leave everyone here."

"We will be safe enough underground. Make haste – you have no time to lose. You'll want a head start should the Kaocho soldiers come looking for you, which I'm sure they shall."

Amiti studied the chancellor long and hard. Leave Ayuthay? He had wanted to do that not too very long ago that day, but now it all seemed meaningless. He certainly didn't wish to be a king known for abandoning his people for his own safety.

"Are you sure this is the wisest course of action? Perhaps I better speak with Marii about this…"

"Is my word not enough for you, Amiti? She cares much about you, as do I. You must leave, it's yours and Ayuthay's only hope at this point."

Amiti shook his head disbelievingly; he doubted that the chancellor cared about him, and was simply amazed that he was actually telling Amiti to leave. He wasn't prepared for something such as this – his uncle had never educated him to be. He felt he had no choice but to take the advice of the Chancellor, as it did indeed seem as though all of other options would fall short in the end.

Perhaps he really was going to have the opportunity to seek out Alex after all…

**Author's Note: **

The story plot is finally starting to move! I am trying to give enough hints to the plot to keep it suspenseful, yet I don't want to give the whole plot away. Am I achieving this correctly? Not giving enough information, or perhaps too much? Any thoughts on what you all think would be greatly appreciated! :)I'm also wanting to make this intriguing enough so that there's at least some anticipation for the next chapter.

Anyway, let me know what you all thought. Thank you!


	6. Home Again

Chapter VI:

"I don't believe him, Ivan. I just don't. I never thought he'd be like this," Jenna said bitterly, stopping to take a sip of tea before resuming.

She was sitting on the couch in the middle of Ivan's living room, ranting to him about her husband, _again._ Ivan had grown quite accustomed to Jenna's frequent visits, particularly when she was _really _mad at Isaac and needed to vent off to someone. She simply couldn't handle keeping it all to herself – No, that was far too much to ask of the Fire Adept. To tell Ivan how horrible Isaac was being seemed to keep her going, and so long as Ivan ironically seemed to help keep their marriage together, he'd continue to play his role as the "sympathetic bystander".

"I'm sorry, Jenna. I would've thought that he'd remember your anniversary too. Although Isaac is a bit – erm - flighty, I didn't think he'd forget a day so significant either," Ivan said calmly, sitting across from her, his own cup of tea in hand. "I wonder if something happened, or if he and Garet decided to take the kids somewhere. I sent Karis off with the Soarwing a few months back and she hasn't come home yet, so I wouldn't be all that surprised."

Jenna snorted. "And you're not worried?"

Ivan shook his head. "Why should I be worried, Jenna? She goes there all the time, and always manages to get there fine –"

"She's _awfully _young to be making that trip to the Plateau all on her own," Jenna interrupted. "And she's been gone for at least four months, yet you're _still _not worried about her?"

"She's with Matthew and Tyrell, I know she'll be fine," said Ivan firmly.

Jenna sighed. She didn't know how Ivan could blindly have so much confidence behind his statements. She knew that he truly stood behind what he said – he would trust those boys with anything. Especially if Ivan knew that Isaac was there…

Just the thought of Isaac made her furious. Their wedding anniversary, marking the 25 years that they had been married, was two weeks prior, and she had never received _anything_. No Isaac, no gift, no card, no nothing. She was more than a little upset, but livid.

She figured that Isaac had simply forgotten. True, out of all the years that they had been married, Isaac would pretend to forget their anniversary and surprise her, but this time was different – It had been two weeks ago, surely if anything were to turn up it would have by then. She was beyond frustrated, and a little fed up with Isaac's constant "adventuring".

"I didn't marry him to be like this, Ivan!" Jenna exclaimed. "I didn't know that a year after our son was born that he'd try to run off and observe the after affects of the Golden Sun. That's why my brother offered to go instead – Sure, he was a little ticked off to be doing something for Isaac, but come on! He had a one year old son and a wife at home, and here he was talking about up and leaving them to go study! All of a sudden too! It was just like overnight – one morning Isaac came to me saying he was leaving, and that was that! At least Felix cared more than Isaac did, which is just plainly ridiculous. I shouldn't have to put up with this from my own husband."

"Now, Jenna," Ivan said gently. "Isaac's not obviously trying to abandon you, in fact I think he really misses you –"

"I wish he'd miss me, then I might actually see him once a year!"

"It's just that he's bound to this task for the Wise One."

Jenna looked at Ivan sharply.

"So I can assume that you're taking his side then?" she asked critically.

Ivan averted his gaze from hers, observing the floor gravely.

"No, Jenna," Ivan said quietly, closing his eyes. "I'm a little surprised by Isaac's behavior as well, but I'm just saying that maybe there's a valid explanation for all that he's done. Don't be so harsh on him – you might regret it."

Jenna felt like crying. Her and Isaac had been so close, for so long, until that one day he was bound and determined that he'd go study the Golden Sun. Garet went with him just because he could, and Jenna had originally planned on going too – until she realized just what kind of a place Isaac and Garet were going to live in. She couldn't go there, especially not with her one year-old son. Isaac left her behind, promising her that he'd come to visit frequently, and that he'd be back soon.

Years and years had gone by, and true to his word, Isaac did come back frequently to see her and Matthew. For a while, Jenna thought maybe it weren't so bad, until about twelve years later Isaac started coming more infrequently, and eventually had asked Matthew if he'd like to go accompany him. She couldn't believe the nerve of him: leaving her alone like that while he took their only son, her pride and joy, away from her to train him. She too was one of the Warriors of Vale; she felt that she could do just as well of a job at training Matthew as he could – and at least her hands weren't so tied up with work, as Isaac had proclaimed his to be.

She missed her son. She missed Isaac… Yet she felt helpless and hurt with the situation. She'd never felt more miserable.

"Ivan, you know Isaac almost as well as I do," Jenna protested.

Ivan paused, not sure if he really wanted to admit to that.

"What do you think I should do? Seriously, I am _fed up_."

Ivan bit his lip; he was worried this one was coming. He was quite fond of both of them, and hated seeing the way that they always fought during more recent years. He thought Isaac was wrong for leaving them for so long, yet he felt Jenna to be a little too unreasonable as well. Isaac said he had duties to serve to the Wise one; Ivan knew that must be important. Yet Jenna and Matthew _really _should've been his top priority, and leaving them was just… Well, wrong any direction that you chose to look at it.

"Write him a letter," Ivan suggested, "or go up to the Goma Plateau yourself. Tell him how you feel on the situation. You might be surprised by his reaction."

Jenna blew her nose in a handkerchief, and then stuffed it back in her pocket. She stared at Ivan blankly as though he were speaking in something other than plain English.

"You – you really think I should?" Jenna asked.

Ivan nodded, feeling relieved to see a bit of light shine through Jenna's eyes.

"Sure you should! It wouldn't be fair to just be mad at Isaac without giving him the opportunity to give you a valid explanation. Honestly I've been wondering, Jenna, if this job that Isaac has set out to do is something far greater than he has led us all on to believe it is."

Jenna eyed him suspiciously.

"What do you mean?"

Ivan wiped his blonde bangs from his eyes. "I mean, what if he's doing more than studying the after affects of the Golden Sun? What if he's –"

Ivan's words got cut short as he heard the front door open and slam shut, along with the echoing of feet stomping upon the hard wood floor of his dining room. He glanced around the corner, though from where he sat he couldn't see even a trace of the person who had entered.

"Hello?" Ivan called, feeling it a tad rude to just barge in on someone's home so unannounced, unless you were of course a thief.

"Dad!" the familiar voice of his daughter cried out, and after a moment he saw Karis sprinting down the hall, and into her father's arms.

He carefully set his tea down to properly embrace his daughter. It had only been four months since she left yet it felt more to be a lifetime ago. Karis's mother died when she was born, so all her life it had only been her and her dad. The two had become extremely close, far closer than any usual father and daughter could be. Ivan stroked back her silky soft-green hair tenderly.

"Karis, I'm so glad that you're home!" he said joyously.

Karis could hear a snort from the entryway and looked up fiercely, noticing Tyrell attempt to hide his snickering.

"See, I told you the reason you wanted to come here was to say hi to your daddy," he said in a playful tone.

Karis pursed her lips, glaring at him, but chose not to say anything. Although it weren't her main reason for coming back, she did want to see her dad and be sure that he indeed had survived the dreadful Eclipse.

She glanced over at Matthew, and found him and Jenna in a tight embrace. Jenna then pulled her son a short distance away from her, meeting his eye critically.

"Where is your father?" she asked sternly, although Matthew knew that the stern tone wasn't meant for him. It was clear that Jenna was _very _mad at Isaac, but Matthew couldn't imagine why. Growing up, he'd gotten pretty used to his mom always being mad at his dad, so it really didn't faze him much.

"I don't know, we had just gotten back to the Plateau when we found them… gone," Matthew said dully, feeling a bit stupid at being so vague, yet in truth he knew nothing more than what he had stated.

Jenna blinked. "What do you mean gone?" she asked, her voice softening ever so slightly. "And where did you come back from? Did you go somewhere without your father and Garet?"

Matthew and Karis looked at each other, forgetting that Jenna and Ivan didn't know all about their adventures in retrieving the Roc Feather and ending the Eclipse.

"Well, actually…" Karis began, letting her words trail off. She really didn't know how to explain it all to them.

"It's really a long story," Tyrell said, hoping that the statement alone would let it slip by without having to go into details.

"Well, come on in, let's get seated in the kitchen. It's lunchtime, so we can make ourselves some sandwiches and we can discuss everything that's been going on with the three of you." Ivan said brightly.

Karis, Matthew and Tyrell all let out a slight groan – _now they couldn't avoid it_.

~(*)~

"So, let me get this straight…" Jenna said hotly. "_You _three were the ones that ended that Eclipse?"

"No," Matthew replied. "We weren't. We had the help of five other Adepts too."

"Wow, so Mia's son is really that old already," Ivan said thoughtfully. "Last time I saw him he was only a wee little lad, barely toddling around the living room."

Jenna threw a menacing glance in Ivan's direction, as she then turned to her son once again.

"So, Garet and Isaac just _let _you go! All by yourselves! Are – they- MAD! What could they possibly have been thinking? Letting three Adept apprentices go out into the heart of Angara alone, it's madness that's what it is!" Jenna exclaimed, her temper rising quite rapidly.

"But Jenna, don't you see? They were obviously ready for the task, as they completed it very successfully. Surely Isaac must've known that they could handle it. He's not stupid by far - in fact, I think Isaac is probably the wisest out of all of us. Maybe he even knew that the Eclipse would happen before he set them off on their journey. We owe our children our lives right now, so I'm certainly not going to go off on Isaac for letting them go," Ivan said matter-of-factly.

Jenna opened her mouth to say something, and then shut it again. There was a lot that she'd like to say about Isaac at that moment, but she felt that Ivan was partly right – had it not been for their children, they might not all be sitting together at that very moment. Jenna let out another long sigh, brushing back stray strands of chestnut brown hair from her face.

"Just thank God that you're all okay. I don't know how you all managed to get out of there alive but… I'm very proud of you, _all of you_," she said, managing a radiant smile to them all.

"Yes, we are," Ivan agreed. He then turned his gaze towards Tyrell, his violet eyes studying him hard.

"Now, Tyrell… What really possessed you to try out the Soarwing to begin with? Did Karis not explain to you that only very skilled Adepts such as your father and Isaac have the power to wield them?" Ivan asked him sharply.

Tyrell looked down shamefully. It was not as though Ivan were being mean by this statement, but he could see the unmistakable look of pain in Ivan's eyes at the mention of Tyrell ruining the Soarwing – the treasured item that he had painstakingly worked so hard on for months – with such ease.

"I – I – I'm sorry, Ivan," Tyrell said glumly. "It's just that… Karis could do it, so I thought I could too. Everyone had been commenting how skilled Karis and Matthew were, that I had to prove that I was worth something too."

Ivan sighed and shook his head.

"No, no Tyrell. Of course you're a very powerful Adept. I think we all know that, including Isaac and Garet. Karis was able to pilot the Soarwing because she is a Wind Adept and is already empowered with the ability to control wind, you see. I'm sure Matthew would have been unable to pilot the Soarwing as well. But that _doesn't _make him weaker than Karis in the least. Don't feel bad that you weren't able to control it, Tyrell. I'm sure there's a lot of even very experienced Adepts that cannot." Ivan reached for Tyrell's hand and gave it a squeeze. "And look – you joined your friends in stopping the Eclipse. Didn't that prove your worth right there? It took all of you to end it. Were there not things along your quest that your friends could not pass without your Psynergy and efforts?"

"That's true," muttered Tyrell quietly. "But there were many things that I couldn't do."

"There were many things that _I _couldn't do either," Karis pointed out. "I couldn't fill anything with water, nor move stones or dry up lakes. Without you guys, I would've fallen in the beginning."

"Likewise," Matthew agreed.

Tyrell turned a deep shade of crimson; he didn't need his friends getting involved on trying to make him feel better. After all, he felt a little ridiculous admitting that he felt less than them to begin with. Yet it was something that always haunted him nonetheless.

"But where is Isaac and Garet? You three said they weren't there when you arrived home?" Jenna asked concernedly, her expression clouding over with worry.

"No, they weren't," Karis replied. "There was no trace of them."

"No note or anything?" Ivan asked.

Matthew shook his head. "Nothing at all," he confirmed.

Jenna bit her lip and turned away, her mind racing frantically. All this time she had been getting so enraged with Isaac, and for all she knew he might not even be alive!

Ivan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, it isn't like Isaac to ever leave a note," Ivan admitted. "But I'm a little concerned about their disappearance, especially with this disease going around."

"Disease?" Karis asked.

Ivan looked over at his daughter seriously.

"Haven't you heard of it during your travels?"

The three of them shook their heads.

"There's this disease going around," Jenna told them. "And so far the only people that have managed to contract it have all been Adepts, which seems _odd_ –"

"Considering there's not a whole lot of us out there," Ivan chimed in.

"No normal human has come down with it yet. A rough estimate of about 3/4'ths of the Adepts whom have contracted this illness have died." Jenna said sadly.

"The person that falls ill becomes critical almost immediately," Ivan said. "Typically, they only last a few days."

"But I don't understand," Karis said slowly, "how could only Adepts be contracting this illness and not others?"

Jenna sighed.

"I don't know, Karis. But it's freaky for sure. We don't know what's causing it, and furthermore to make matters only worse; we know of no cure. More and more people are coming down with it by the day, and it's impossible to know who's going to end up with it next. It seems to be sweeping through towns, so it seems to be fairly contagious." Jenna said. "The only thing I can come to reason is if it's affecting only Adepts, chances are is that it's connected to Psynergy somehow."

"That doesn't even make sense," Matthew said, shaking his head.

"I know, it doesn't., Ivan admitted. "But it's the only connection I'm seeing."

"What's even worse," Jenna said, "is Kaocho has managed to enforce some law for the time being that all Adepts throughout Angara must be isolated from the rest of the population so that it can no longer spread."

"But that can't be right," Tyrell said furiously. "If normal people aren't getting it, then they simply _can't _get it, right? So why isolate us? They have nothing to worry about!"

"I think it's a mere excuse to gain power somehow," Ivan said slowly. "Or at least… A country."

"A country-" Karis said slowly, then before she could state the answer Jenna already opened her mouth.

"Ayuthay's new king is an Adept of some kind –"

"Amiti," Matthew muttered quietly.

"So they're isolating him too?" Tyrell asked incredulously, slamming a fist on the table. "That's just not fair!"

Karis looked down. So Amiti was the new king; Karis hadn't known that. She figured it must've meant that his uncle indeed had passed away, and now he had to suffer with this pandemic and the extreme measures that people were taking… Karis sighed, she felt so sorry for him.

"I wonder where he is now," she said aloud, which was more of a thought than an actual statement.

"Probably imprisoned, most likely," said Tyrell. "Poor guy, he finally becomes king then BOOM, in his first week he's already been kicked out."

"I'm not so sure," Ivan said. "I heard that a lot of Adepts have gone into hiding, not wanting to be discovered and sent into their isolation camps or whatever they have set up for them. If Ayuthay caught wind of what they were trying to do, Amiti might've already left before Kaocho's officials got there."

"It's almost as if they're going to war with Adepts," Jenna said sadly.

Karis wiped her brow. This was all far too much to worry about. First it was Isaac and Garet missing, now this pandemic and the fear of either catching it, or being held in an isolation camp somewhere. The thought of being imprisoned in one of those sent chills down Karis's spine. She wasn't sure which of the two options would be worse.

"Did you say only Angara is being affected?" Karis asked. "Or is Morgal and other places being involved as well?"

"Not Morgal yet," Ivan said. "With Belinsk being Morgal's capital and their queen being an Adept herself, I doubt such a law will pass there."

"Then we should all hurry over to Morgal then," Tyrell suggested. "Then we'd all be fairly safe."

Jenna shook her head.

"Only for awhile. It's not going to last like that forever. There's going to be conflict between Angara and Morgal constantly, and unless this disease stops – Oh, I don't know what will happen for sure, Tyrell. But it looks – _bad_. Really bad."

None of them had wanted to admit it until Jenna clearly stated it, but the whole situation looked rather ominous. Without a cure and without knowing what the cause of the disease was in order to put a stop to it – the Adepts would eventually all die out… Every last one.

"Isn't there anything that can be done?" Karis asked hopefully, turning to her father.

For a long moment Ivan stared straight ahead, deep in thought.

"I think our first course of action should be to find Kraden," he said finally. "Kraden's the wisest man that I know. Hopefully he'll know something, or at least, give us a head start."

**Author's Note:**

Shadow Giratina: Many thanks for the advice on the future of all the countries! I'll definitely keep all that in consideration. Although it may seem it at the moment, a war doesn't end up truly developing in the story, and actually doesn't have a whole lot to do with the real story plot. But the adepts are being oppressed from every angle, and are just struggling to survive.

Lemuria, however, will be play quite a role eventually ;)

Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I'm trying to focus much harder on expressing all the character's emotions rather than writing it all out so dully as I had been in the beginning it seemed. I hope I'm succeeding fairly well with this. Anyway, let me know what you think. I love reviews! They help encourage me to keep writing :)

As always, a big thank you for reading!


	7. No Place is Safe

Chapter VII:

Ayuthay shrunk in the distance as Amiti silently walked down the darkened path into the heart of Angara; the only sound that could be heard was his footsteps on the dirt path and the occasional snapping of a branch. Even the wind seemed to be tame that night, not even rustling the leaves of the trees slightly. It was very quiet – eerily so. At times Amiti thought he could hear his own heart pounding, and would stop quite frequently to observe the scene around him.

He had never felt so alone and vulnerable before. Although he was one of the Adepts that participated in stopping the Eclipse and had journeyed with them all across Weyard, it had been nothing like this. He hadn't been alone then either. Even though the situation of the Eclipse was probably much direr than the one Amiti found himself in then, it was nowhere near as intimidating. The enemy wanted him, and his life depended on sneaking into Morgal unnoticed - not a pleasant thought to be sure.

With every step that Amiti took, he felt more and more despaired. He hadn't even been king for a week, and already he lost power over Ayuthay. It was probably the shortest rule that had ever taken place in the kingdom, or maybe even the shortest rule period. He felt like he failed to live up to his obligations, and more importantly – failed to live up to his uncle's expectations.

Amiti recalled in his mother's journal that his uncle had written about how proud he was of him. If only his uncle had seen him now, he wouldn't be so proud, Amiti thought bitterly.

The moon was now up to it's fullest; it's light illuminating the forest around him. He had set out shortly after the soldier's warning, and had already been traveling for a good 4-5 hours. Now it was in the mid hours of the night, and Amiti still hadn't reached Harapa as he had been planning to do before setting out. He hoped to stop there and rest up before trying to make his way into Morgal, and of course along the way he hoped to meet with his friend, Baghi and the elders of Passaj. He had a very hard time believing that the elder, Bogho would sign such an agreement to have all Adepts be rounded up like that, and soon began to wonder on the people of Passaj's safety. If they had tried to rebel against Kaocho… Amiti shuddered; he didn't want to even think about it.

Exhaustion and confusion began to make its toll on him, although he most certainly didn't wish to stop and rest there. He knew he'd probably make it to Harapa within a matter of a couple hours, and felt it was probably _much _safer to make it to the city rather than stopping there in the middle of the forest. After all, once Kaocho found out that Amiti had made a run for it he wouldn't be safe anywhere in Angara – though a part of him wondered how safe he would be even if he made it out.

Harapa began to sound like not such a good place to stop either, but Amiti figured it was the best option he had. He'd always had a good relationship with the people there, so perhaps they'd let him stay one night without turning him in. Or even better, maybe they'd forget that he was an Adept entirely and wouldn't even realize there would be a need to turn him in.

Amiti stopped for a moment, resting a hand against a tree as he regained his breath – not from walking, but from the anxiety and stress he found himself under. He reached into his backpack for his map, and then scowled realizing it'd do him no good, that he had no light to read it with anyway. It was one of those rare moments that he really wished he were a Fire Adept – as he didn't wish this very often. He briefly considered starting a fire, but then thought better of it. For one thing, he wasn't altogether sure on _how _to start one, and for another he felt it risky to start a fire for he'd be easier to trace that way. He put the map back and slowly slid down the tree, first finding the cool, damp grass under his hands before sitting down.

For what seemed to be hours, yet Amiti knew he'd been only sitting there for a mere few minutes, he gazed up at what could be seen of the starry night sky between leafy branches. It was hard to imagine that only a mere few hours ago his only concern was Alex and somehow getting his revenge on him. But now, that were the least of Amiti's worries. He seriously contemplated whether he'd manage to escape Kaocho's grasp and make it to Morgal safely, but the more he thought about it, he wondered what good it would really do even if he succeeded? It wouldn't change Kaocho's mind, or save the Adepts, or Ayuthay. Unless he really made serious move rather than simply hiding away would anything change. Only at this point, Amiti's mind was too foggy to begin to think of any possible course of action that he could take. A war would be stupid; Kaocho would obviously win – for their military was far superior than the whole of Morgal combined. Pretty much everyone knew that, and so he doubted that even if he begged would Morgal really team up with him.

Amiti threw his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. His head throbbed from hitting the tree so hard, but he hardly cared. The throbbing in his head only went along with the suffering that he was experiencing mentally. It all seemed like such a lost cause, he didn't even know why he bothered escaping. He felt as though he should've stayed behind with his people and attempted to hold Kaocho off as long as they possibly could.

At least he would've been considered a better king than he was right then.

~(*)~

The brightness of the sunlight seemed to dull down Amiti's senses as he slowly opened his eyes. The sun was directly over his head, pouring down its rays of light over him. He squinted around confusedly, taking in his surroundings. It took him several moments to fully realize why he was there, and all of the events that had taken place the night prior. He felt more rested than he had when he had first set out – well, sort of. It wasn't his most preferred position or place to sleep in, but at least he felt his mind were more clear and muscles more cooperative to move again. He was hopeful that he would just be able to bypass Harapa now and make way for Passaj directly. That was, until he realized that it might make his trip slightly brighter if he stopped in Harapa for lunch. Amiti sighed; he really didn't want to make any more stops than it were necessary - but he figured that lunch probably fit into one of those necessities.

It took him about four hours to reach Harapa, and by then he was very glad that he didn't continue – he was famished.

It had been awhile since he'd been to Harapa, yet it hadn't changed in the least. Due to it being one of the most lit up cities in the world, it wasn't as affected by the Eclipse as some places had been, and probably recovered fastest from it as well. Looking around the place, it was hard to imagine that only about two weeks ago had they been in total disarray. Amiti still wasn't convinced that it was the safest of places to stop, but for the moment, it worked. He figured that if a small enough group ambushed him he might possibly be able to outdo them with his psynergy.

For as small of a city as Harapa was, it was a one that frequently held tourists and travelers, so there were many inns and cafes all about. Amiti chose a smaller, slightly older café then the more popular ones that were packed with people, mainly to avoid unnecessary attention. He felt like he'd stand out in a crowd. Although the clothes of which he wore weren't royalty or traditional Ayuthayan clothing, they still marked him Ayuthayan and his hair probably classified him as an Adept, so he therefore thought it best to avoid attention wherever possible.

The bell chimed as he entered the small, darkened café and already he wished that he had gone to one of the other more attractive ones. It was very small, dark, and quite musty smelling. He didn't catch the scent of food as you normally would when first stepping into any café or restaurant. The place gave him the creeps, particularly the old man behind the counter staring at him.

Instinctively, his hand moved towards the hilt of his sword. He couldn't make out the man or any of his features in the darkness, and had no idea whether he knew him or not. His first impulse was to turn around and leave; yet that would possibly look more suspicious, as it would obviously implicate his fear.

"You look familiar," the man said in a gravelly voice, making Amiti nearly jump out of his skin in surprise. "Have I run into you somewhere before?"

Amiti immediately wanted to say no, but thought that would seem obvious as well. He didn't want to allow the man to fully acknowledge who he was, and at least at the moment, he hadn't.

"I'm not sure, sir," Amiti replied quietly. "I – haven't been to Harapa in a very long time."

"Indeed?" the man asked doubtfully. "It seems to me you were in here just the other day asking about some man named Felix. Wasn't that you?"

Amiti shook his head, letting go of the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. A man that was looking for Felix that he resembled enough… But it couldn't be... Was it too good to be true?

"No, that was not I," said Amiti. "But I do believe I might know who you are speaking of. Did – did he say his name was Alex?"

The man grinned over at him, slowly making his way around the counter over towards him.

"Ah, so you know Alex, but aren't him. I see. Well, you look just like him. It's not a wonder that I got so confused," he said with a dry laugh, causing Amiti to cringe; this was partly due to the laugh, but moreso to do with the statement in and of itself. "The man that came through here didn't claim himself to be Alex, but I do believe it was him. There's only one Alex."

"Yes, that's for sure," Amiti replied bitterly. "Can you tell me… Did – did he say where he was going?"

The man frowned, observing Amiti more carefully.

"You know, I think I've seen you somewhere before as well," he said, failing to answer Amiti's question.

"Yes, perhaps," Amiti said with a shrug, brushing aqua blue locks from his face. "If we have met, I do not recall… But, I'm wondering if –"

"Yes, yes. You're wondering about Alex. I hadn't forgotten," the man said, now circling Amiti. The young king's gaze followed him, not appreciating the man's lack of respect, nor being scrutinized so intently. This was exactly the type of thing that he was trying to avoid by going to a small café. "But if you know Alex, you know how he's funny about anyone knowing where he's going. He's got good reason to – After you do so much harm, there's people out there that want to kill you."

"I don't wish to kill him," Amiti told him, thinking over what he said to be in fact a lie. He really _had_ wished to kill him, or at least at that very moment he did. "I just really want to find him –"

The man snapped his fingers suddenly, catching Amiti by surprise and causing him to jump again.

"Oh, I know! You're Prince Amiti from Ayuthay aren't you? Or no, sorry, king now, isn't it?"

Amiti bit his lip; he had really hoped no one would figure it out… Yet, he felt as though he were possibly expecting the impossible. He also felt as though he were getting nowhere with this old man. He obviously knew where Alex was, but didn't want to share it with him. This time, Amiti chose to play along with his response and not tell him if he were correct in his assumption or not.

"I see that you are not interested in telling me where Alex is," he said, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his tone. "So if you'll excuse me, I have some other business here in Harapa to attend to."

To his surprise, the old man just laughed at him. Amiti watched him in disbelief for a long moment until the man said, "we're not being friendly today, are we? Well, fine. Since you're the king of Ayuthay, I believe that it would be only fitting that I told you where Felix is."

"No, no, you see. I'm not looking for Felix –"

"He went to Lalivero," the old man said, cutting him off. "I don't know if Felix would still be there or not, but that's where he went at any rate."

Amiti understood immediately: the man was trying to avoid giving Alex's location specifically, and instead told Amiti where Felix would be headed – for if Amiti found Felix, he would obviously be finding Alex. Amiti then began to wonder whether he'd made some bargain with Alex so as not reveal his whereabouts to anyone. The Mercury Adept nodded, and for the very first time offered the café owner a smile.

"Thank you very much, sir. I really appreciate it."

With that he moved over towards the door that stood only a few feet away from him, feeling relieved to be getting out of the musty old café for good.

"Your welcome," the man replied. "But I must ask – Why is it that you came here in the first place? No one comes in here often. What gave you the notion to come and speak to me?"

Amiti paused, his hand remaining on the doorknob.

"I was just passing by and saw a café that looked like it scarcely saw any customers and thought I'd have lunch here." Amiti replied, without turning from the door.

"Oh," said the man. "That's weird, no one bothers trying to eat here anymore, what with the way the outside looks and everything. Even though back in the day we had the best food in town, those other café's won us out for good. No, we closed up shop a long time ago. We've gone into bigger, better things for business."

Amiti turned to face him, feeling curiosity that he knew he shouldn't at the very moment.

"What sort of things?" he asked him.

The man laughed, shaking his head. "Only things a man like Alex would be interested in," he said with a wry grin. "Not a pretty, innocent boy like you."

Amiti chose not to ask further, thinking that he didn't want to know what sort of things the man were "selling".

"Well, thank you for your time," Amiti said, putting a hand on the doorknob and giving it a slight turn.

The man eyed him with an odd glint in his eye.

"I wouldn't be doing that if I were you," the man said slowly, moving around the counter. "Of course I'm not sure you'd be any safer if you stayed in here, but there's Kaocho soldiers just outside this door, and I'm sure they'd do anything to have a little chat with you on the way to the Ouroboros."

Amiti's eyes narrowed; he had a terrible feeling that man had meant him ill when first coming upon him.

"You brought them here?" he asked furiously.

"My dear lad," The old man said with a dry laugh, "I have been talking to you this entire time, how do you expect that I summoned them? There's guards all about Angara looking for you! Did you really expect to outrun them?"

Amiti's eyes darted from the man to the door. He didn't know how large of an army they brought, and unless he knew it were small enough, he didn't know how much of a chance he stood to be able to fight them and come out successful. Amiti glanced over towards the man.

"Did you say they would take me to the Ouroboros?" Amiti asked him suddenly.

"I did."

"Why would they take me there?" he asked incredulously.

"I don't rightly know. I'm just a simple man, you see," the man said with a huge grin, revealing a few teeth missing from his lower jaw."

"You're not as simple as you'd like to make yourself out to be," Amiti said through gritted teeth. "You know, I can sense it. _Why are they taking me there_?"

The man shook his head.

"Such a temper," he said. "Exactly the same behavior that I've always gotten from Alex. Fine. It's where they're taking all Adepts such as yourself. As for why they're choosing the Ouroboros to isolate them, I haven't got a clue…"

Amiti thought it was a rather bizarre location to isolate Adepts. It were almost as if…

"Kaocho actually _wants _all of us Adepts to die out, don't they?" Amiti asked him.

The man said nothing.

"Tell me, what else did Alex ask you?"

"Huh, kid?"

"What else did he ask you?" Amiti demanded, taking a step closer. This man was much older and feebler than he was, even on an empty stomach he could take him down in an instant - and that was without his psynergy. He knew he had the upper hand at this point.

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Is Kaocho starting this disease somehow?" Amiti asked him.

"No. Tell me, do you really think a human alone could start something so severe as this pandemic?" the man asked in a slightly mocking tone.

Amiti thought probably not. The man was most likely right – but he also seemed to know a bit more than the average person did on Kaocho's plans, and he began to wonder whether there was more reason than the man cared to admit as to why Alex came to speak with him.

"So then, do you know –" Amiti began, but got cut off as the door swung open. In came two men dressed in Kaocho's generals uniforms, grinning from ear to ear as they spotted Amiti.

"Your royal highness," one said sardonically, unsheathing his long sword from its hilt. "We are here to escort you."

**Author's Note:**

I'm probably going to be slowing down with updates fairly soon. I have a final fantasy fanfic that I'm trying to finish up as well, and as much as I'm enjoying this one, I probably really "ought" to be working on the other fanfic too :o I'm terrible at balancing all my fanfics out! But I will try to keep updating this fairly regularly. It would be pretty impossible not to, as I'm dying to get cracking on the next chapter already.

What does everyone think so far? Reviews, please? :D I accept anonymous ones *big grin*.

Thank you! Hope you're enjoying the story!


	8. The Apollo Stone

Chapter VIII:

The fair blonde watched the clock, biting her lip until it nearly bled. Any minute the Tuaparang soldier would call her back to speak with the High Empyror, and she knew he wouldn't be happy with her once he did. She wasn't entirely certain on what she ought to expect as punishment from him, but she knew that the Empyror wasn't one to display compassion or mercy – Well, letting Arcanus go after he betrayed them was a very odd exception; she _still _didn't know how he had managed to get away with that. But Alex wasn't like any normal man – he had ways of bypassing trouble or certain doom. She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but feel as though she wouldn't be quite so lucky. She'd simply be lucky if she didn't wind up losing her head, in her opinion.

She carefully smoothed her pale blond hair back and then her Tuaparang's uniform. She was originally told to wear the male's traditional uniform but declined it. After all, Chalis was allowed exceptions, why couldn't she receive the same? She indeed did, and wore a black and fuchsia flared skirt along with a sleek, trim fitting black leather top. It fit in fine with the others' uniforms, and still displayed that she worked for the Tuaparang. She had a higher ranking than all the other typical Tuaparang soldiers, so she felt that she deserved something more than what they received for dress. She liked to look her best in any occasion, not unlike her former general, Chalis. Although most people snickered, she felt it necessary.

At last, the moment the young woman had dreaded finally arrived: the soldier, dressed from head to toe in Tuaparang armor, came to greet her at the double doors leading to the Empyror's chambers, beckoning her forward.

"The High Empyror is ready for you, Miss Alyss," he said cordially, allowing her past him.

She shot a sideways glance over at the man, and then muttered under her breath, "did he seem… _Mad_ to you?"

The solder's expression remained unreadable hidden under his thick armor.

"It was hard to decipher, Miss," he said quietly. "Not extremely so, if he were –"

The young woman, Alyss shook her head, turning down the long hall. In her eyes, the Tuaparang's soldiers were all idiots and had no clue how the world worked around them. You could say that Weyard was round and they wouldn't have the knowledge to contradict you otherwise.

She wrung her hands as she walked down the long hall, her soft lavender eyes darting nervously at each door, searching for the one in which the Empyror resided in. At long last she came by his door, and knocked timidly on the smooth, mahogany wood.

"Enter," came the voice of the High Empyror from inside.

Alyss drew in a deep breath, and opened the door.

He did not look up upon her entrance, but was too deeply involved in observing a star chart and a book of reference codes. She eyed him curiously for a moment, until he seemed to sense her presence and slammed the book shut, causing her to leap out of surprise. He turned around to face her, his eyes boring into hers behind the intricately painted mask in which he wore. Alyss didn't know why the head members of the Tuaparang all wore masks; she supposed this would be because of the need to hide their identities. _But why would the Empyror wear one within his own confines_, she wondered. It was curious to be certain, yet Alyss knew better than to question it right then, especially considering the circumstances that she were under…

"So," he said quietly, his eyes turning back to his star chart. "I've heard tell that one of our rare and most prized ancient artifacts has been stolen, is this correct?"

His tone did not hold menace, but she could tell that it demanded an answer, and a rather straight one at that.

"Yes, my lord. The Luna stone… It – disappeared this morning," Alyss replied, lowering her gaze precariously.

"This morning," the High Empyror repeated. "Was this when you discovered it missing, or when the item itself was stolen?"

Alyss shook her head.

"I – am unsure, my lord."

The High Empyror met her eyes again, although it was impossible for Alyss to read his expression or gauge whether he was angry or only solemn about losing his valuable trinket.

"How did this… _thief _sneak in without your knowledge?" he asked, his tone holding a slight edge of impatience.

"I don't know, I saw no one," Alyss faltered, her story sounding quite unconvincing at this point. "I was guarding the room, just as I was supposed to and – I don't know, I saw no thief ever come or go. I haven't the slightest idea how it could've been stolen."

"Foolish, really," the Empyror muttered under his breath.

Alyss's gaze dropped to the floor, as she bowed her head shamefully.

"Yes, it was foolish on my part," she said thickly. "Please forgive me, I should have been paying closer attention to the room –"

"No," the Empyror said suddenly, whirling around to the other side of the room. "I didn't mean it was a foolish act on your part, but on my own – for entrusting such a treasure to be guarded in the treasury. It was an obvious place for a thief to look. I should've held it with me, at all times. Tell me, Alyss, was anything else stolen besides the Luna stone?"

Alyss shook her head. "That was all."

The Empyror turned away, and she could tell by his posture that he was furious – or terrified. It was really hard to tell, but she could see him shudder at her words. Alyss began to fumble up an apology when the Empyror spoke again.

"Do you realize the importance of the Luna stone?" he asked her in barely more than a whisper. "Do you know what it does?"

Alyss again shook her head.

"I'm afraid my knowledge on the stone is very small," Alyss admitted. "I just know that it was quite valuable."

"It is valuable for what it does," The Empyror spoke up, "and what it unlocks."

Alyss cocked her head, many questions formed in her mind, but she allowed the Empyror to have the honor of speaking first before asking anything.

"The Luna Stone," The Empyror began. "Is one in a series of three; the others being the Sol Stone and – the Apollo Stone."

"The stones are used for opening the entry to the fabled Psynergy Well, for only through there can you enter the center of the earth."

"Why –" Alyss began, but got cut off immediately by the High Empyror.

"I have spent _years _trying to locate the source of these three stones," the Empyror explained. "And at last, Arcanus had located two of them for me."

"Two of them?" Alyss asked. "Do you mean we still possess one?"

The High Empyror grinned widely.

"We have only ever possessed one, Alyss," he said. "I said that Arcanus _located _two of the three stones for me, but only accomplished in retrieving one. We did not, and still don't have the power to reach the third."

"Please, my lord. I'm afraid I don't understand," Alyss said confusedly. "What is the purpose of finding these stones and reaching the center of the earth? What is there that's so important?"

The High Empyror scowled and shook his head.

"You have much yet to learn, Alyss," he said dismally. "The two stones, Luna and Sol, open the path to the Psynergy Well; without the two stones, you may very well be standing straight before the well, but would be unable to see it."

Alyss nodded, still not fully comprehending what the High Empyror was trying to say, yet she feared if she did not pretend to understand, the Empyror's patience might very well run dry. At the moment, she was desperate to return to grace and have her life spared.

"The Psynergy Well is a passage that leads directly to the center of the earth, and there dwells a dark and terrible secret, but also a great blessing. You see, the Golden Sun effect brought about the Stone of Sages, a stone in which would grant the wielder eternal youth and limitless power. Unfortunately, the Stone of Sages will never appear again, but there is another stone quite similar in nature to that of the Stone of Sages. Being birthed from the usage of the Apollo Lens itself – The Apollo Stone. It too grants eternal youth and limitless power. The beholder would find themselves to be quite invincible. But you see, Alyss, unlike the Stone of Sages that only appeared during the unleashing of the Golden Sun, the Apollo Stone was formed during the time in which the Apollo Lens was activated, and still resides – in the most darkest, deepest place of the earth; the heart itself."

"That is why I am after the Luna and Sol stones. For once I have them, I can travel through the Psynergy Well and retrieve the Apollo Stone," the Empyror finished, turning to Alyss expectantly.

It took Alyss a few moments to process all of what the High Empyror had said. It then all began to fit into place, even in her confused mind. She nodded.

"I see your reasoning now, my lord," she replied, bowing her head. "It is apparent to me that we must retrieve the Luna Stone and find the other stone that you had mentioned."

"Yes, the Sol Stone," the High Empyror said with a slight frown. "Arcanus and I never managed to trace that one. Apparently it has been hidden well. It may even be under the protection of someone, or _something_. I have done extensive research, but haven't much of an idea of where it's location may be."

"Then we must search everywhere," Alyss said firmly, hoping to receive the Empyror's approval. "Do you have a compiled list of all the places that have been searched?"

The High Empyror seated himself behind the large desk cluttered with charts and maps as he rubbed his chin.

"Arcanus did," the High Empyror replied, "I myself do not. I never personally went off searching for the Sol Stone. I had Arcanus do all of that for me."

"Then… Is it hopeless, my lord?" Alyss asked doubtfully.

His eyes darted towards Alyss.

"No, Alyss," he said quietly. "It is far from impossible. I just merely have no suggestions as to where you ought to begin looking. I know he searched Prox, Imil, Kalay, Kaocho, Ayuthay…"

"Even the Ouroboros?" Alyss asked him.

The High Empyror shook his head.

"It couldn't be there," he said simply. "I'm still unconvinced that it's not under the protection of a human being. And if this human is the one I suspect it is, I believe he very well may have been our thief and may be possessing both stones at this very moment."

Alyss smiled down at him.

"That would be splendid," she said, resting a hand on the hilt of her rapier. "Just give me the name of this man, and I'll track him down. He'll regret the moment that he was born."

The High Empyror hesitated.

"I don't want you killing him," he said to Alyss. "There are still many secrets that I don't know about the Apollo Stone that I'm willing to bet he does, he could prove to be quite useful to me. I need you to bring him back to me alive, Alyss. I also want you to take Jedite with you."

"Jedite?" Alyss spat. "He'd only slow me down! He's far too opinionated, he'd never let me do this in my own way."

"Take Jedite with you," the High Empyror said firmly. "While I appreciate your confidence, Alyss, you are being quite foolish and are underestimating the task at hand. This will be no easy feat, I hope you understand that."

Alyss nodded solemnly.

"Yes, my lord," she muttered resentfully.

"Good, then it is settled," the High Empyror said, leaning back in his seat. "You will set out tomorrow with Jedite in search of this person who stole our Luna Stone. Consider this your chance for redemption, Alyss. For don't get be fooled – I am _very _displeased with your performance in guarding a single chamber from intruders."

A long silence echoed between them as his words pierced Alyss like sharp blows to her side. She painfully nodded.

"I understand," she said through gritted teeth. "I assure you that I will not fail you."

"That's nice to hear," he said sharply. "Considering you fail me _all_ the time."

Alyss paused, not sure on how to take the Empyror's last phrase, and then spoke again.

"Who is it that we are to seek out?" she asked him.

The High Empyror's eyes glazed over, picking up a small diamond glass sphere the size of his palm, as he rubbed his fingers against its smooth edges.

"There's only one other man that knows the legend of the Psynergy Well," the High Empyror said bitterly. "The man that I had once studied under my care – Kraden."

~(*)~

"Hurry up, Jenna! What's gotten into you? You're not actually getting _old _are you?" Ivan taunted as he stopped at the peak of the hill, looking down at the others following close behind him.

Jenna was less than several yards away, yet she was the one lagging behind and therefore Ivan found the perfect opportunity to pester his old friend.

"You've got the wind behind you, Ivan!" Jenna said breathlessly, making it up the hill with her pack on her back. "Of course you made it up faster than I did!"

They had set out early the next morning after Karis, Matthew and Tyrell had arrived - much to their dismay. They were already exhausted from their trip to Kalay and had hoped to rest up a bit before starting out again, but weren't granted such pleasures. Jenna got them right out of bed at six in the morning, forced them all to eat a good breakfast, and they were off – they had seemed to make decent progress that way, too. Unlike their journey to Kalay had been…

Jenna and Ivan were purely giddy with excitement over their new quest: it had been 30 years since either of them had been on any real adventure, and the thought of hitting the road again and pulling out their dusty old weapons excited them greatly. Immediately after they had decided to go off and find Kraden, Ivan and Jenna packed their bags with their essentials, being already ready to go before dinnertime came around. The kids couldn't help but snicker over their parents' enthusiasm; it was almost like watching a couple of grandparents get all giddy about going to an amusement park.

Jenna reached the top of the hill and stretched, smiling over at Ivan.

"See, I made it, no need to fret," she said cheerfully, making her way down the opposite side of the hill before all the others.

Although it had been 30 years since she had last traveled, Jenna still felt just as strong physically as she had back then. At times, she felt as though she did have to slow down a bit more than she used to, but for the most part she had been able to keep up with the teens just fine.

"How much farther, you guys?" Tyrell asked between gasps for breath, setting his bag down in the tall weeds as he bent over, resting his hands on his thighs. "We'd better be almost there – I'm beat."

Karis slipped the bag off of her shoulder, letting it drop beside Tyrell as she pulled a map from her pocket.

"Not too far from Patcher's Place now," said Karis, attempting to decipher where they were at along the path. "I'd say at this rate we'll probably be there in less than an hour."

"An hour?" Tyrell yelped, standing upright again as he stretched out his back. "Geez, it seemed like last time we went to Patcher's Place it took only a couple hours to get there, not all day."

"It did," Matthew interrupted. "We're coming from Kalay this time, not the Goma Plateau, so in essence it didn't take as long last time."

Tyrell shrugged; apparently Matthew's answer wasn't the one he was searching for.

"Whatever, let's just get a move on so we can eat," Tyrell said finally, lifting his bag once more.

Kraden was quite an unpredictable man: it was almost impossible to know where he might be at a given time. He was never home, that much was certain, but he was always on the move studying the world, never staying in one place for too long. The group of Adepts had decided to begin their search in Patcher's Place. It was closest to Kalay, and they also knew that Kraden frequented Patcher's Place, as he and Patcher had been old friends. They hoped that even if Kraden wasn't to be found there, that perhaps Patcher might've heard from him or knew where he was headed to next. They hoped it wouldn't take them too long to find him, as time was really of the essence in finding Isaac and Garet.

They all continued down the hilly path towards Patcher's Place, some of them more reluctant than others. Tyrell was the most vocal out of the group, but in all reality Karis and Matthew were nearly just as weary. They had been out since seven in the morning, and it was already going on four o' clock and they hadn't had lunch or stopped to take any breaks. Karis felt it worthless to complain; she would sound like a whiner and it was really no one's fault, although she partly wished her father would see the point in resting up for ten minutes before starting out again instead of his quick "1-minute-to-stretch-and-resume" recharge. Her father had always seemed to have more energy than her when it came to physical activities.

Jenna had now taken the lead ahead of all of them. Either she had a sudden burst of energy, her hunger won out her exhaustion and in result made her go faster, or she was simply trying to prove a point to Ivan; it was hard to decipher which it was, but she was clear up the hill opposite of the one they were climbing down. She stopped when she reached the top, and Matthew could see the outline of her figure wave in the distance as she started on down. Just as her head began to disappear behind the grassy hill she let out a shriek, causing the rest of the party to jump fearfully.

"Jenna, what is it?" Ivan asked in alarm, in an instant withdrawing his rapier as he leapt forward, although his action would've done no good as he was too far away.

"You guys, come quick!" Jenna said excitedly. "You won't believe who I've found!"

**Author's Note:**

This chapter didn't turn out quite how I would've liked it to. I just can never get in the groove to write a good chapter with this crew :o Hopefully it passed, but I'll let all of you be the judge of that ;) Review it and let me know what you think of the story so far!

Oh! And about all the weapons the characters are using (since I noticed Shadow Giratina had asked me): I had never fully decided while I was writing the story, so I guess it would be up to the imagination of the reader. However, in my game I always gave Amiti the Verdant Blade; Karis the Sagittarius Bow or the Phaeton Blade (usually the sword unless I was bored enough); Matthew the Sol Blade; Tyrell and Eoleo had whatever was left (never used them in my party unless I absolutely had to); Himi had the Masamune - though it's a shame I didn't realize that Amiti could wield it until after I completed Dark Dawn :o But then again, I felt it didn't suit him. I'm silly about having to have my weapons suit their wielder ;) Sveta _did _have the Umbra Knuckles, but in this story she is no longer using them, for they remind her too much of the activation of the Apollo Lens, and what she had to sacrifice in order to do so…

I can never remember Rief's mace for the life of me…


	9. Frozen Solid

Chapter IX:

The clash of swords rang throughout the darkened room of the old café. The shopkeeper merely stood in the corner to watch with a bemused expression as Amiti single-handedly took on the three soldiers that had come to claim him. He wished that he could say a fight three against one was easy compared to all the battles he had experienced that past year, but unfortunately this one was far from easy. Kaocho's elite men were trained extremely well - Amiti had a hard time managing just to stay on his feet, let alone hope to ever make a blow.

The fight had been dragged on for quite some time by then. Fatigue began to hit him once more as it had during his travels that morning, and his concentration became less and less focused as the battle went on. The Kaocho soldiers knew what they were doing, and Amiti felt he was greatly outmatched. He had been hoping to get away from them with merely injuring them, so much as to disable them from chasing him as he made his getaway, but not so severely as to take their lives. He had no real reason for killing them, but at this point, he was beginning to get rather desperate. One of the soldiers had fallen during the battle, but that still left two for Amiti to fight, which didn't help him a great deal.

Tension filled the air as the battle continued to go on. Sweat gleamed on Amiti's forehead as he attempted to deflect the attacks that he was receiving and hoping to strike out at an opportunity that never came. Each time he made a move towards one, the other would strike out at him, causing Amiti to be forced into a quick defense.

Amiti felt a searing pain in his right elbow that shot straight up his arm, causing him to drop his sword in surprise. Glancing back, he had noticed his arm bleeding freely as one of the soldiers stood behind him, grinning from ear to ear. As he turned back to face the other soldier that he had been fighting until he'd gotten stabbed, he found his own sword pointed at him; a look of triumph written cleanly on his enemy's face.

"You are unarmed and in no condition to attempt to fight us further," the General warned. "If you do not come quietly _now, _I will have no choice but to kill you."

Amiti clenched his hands into fists, gritting his teeth from the pain that throbbed into his shoulder. He knew that they'd prefer to kill him versus take him in; it would make it easier for Kaocho to take over Ayuthay that way. The pain in his arm dulled his senses as it throbbed even deeper into his flesh, blood flowing freely from the jagged wound from the soldier's serrated blade. Amiti drew in a breath; he didn't want to have to do this, nor felt the strength to anymore.

It happened quicker than the soldiers could react: the air around them stung with cold, as they felt the weight of ice build upon their shoulders, and slowly moved down the length of their bodies. A blue light emitted from Amiti's outstretched palms, as a soft, almost peaceful wind swept his hair gently. They knew what he was doing, but their muscles were already too paralyzed by the cold to react – he was using his psynergy to freeze them to their doom. They had nearly forgotten that he could - had they remembered they would've put a stop to him much sooner before he attempted used it.

As he was then.

In no more than ten seconds, the two soldiers were frozen solid. The wind died away, and the blue glow surrounding Amiti faded. He let out a sigh, partly from exhaust and pain, and partly out of guilt. He hated killing people, and only did it when he absolutely had to. He felt that the death in which he gave them was worse than they deserved, but throwing him in the Ouroboros to die out was worse than he deserved too. It was hard for him to decide whose intentions were worse, but now it was all done - it couldn't be reversed, even if he wished it.

The deep pain in his arm brought him back to the present. Pulling his arm close to him, he traced a forefinger gently down the jagged line, and as he did so, the wound healed instantly. It wasn't possible to even feel where the wound had been, nor was it visible in the least.

In the corner of the room he heard applause, causing him to jump slightly and turn around. He had nearly forgotten about the shopkeeper, and at the moment he thought it was a good thing that he had; he was almost as angered by him as he was Alex at the moment.

"Well done, Amiti!" the man exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "I must say that I'm very impressed. Not only are you a Mercury Adept, but a very powerful one at that."

Amiti's eyes darted away from the shop keeper, an odd fire kindled behind them that otherwise was never present. He went over to the soldiers that he fought - who now were made into ice sculptures - and attempted to remove his sword from the frozen soldier's hand, which he was finding to be quite impossible.

"That'll never work," the man said, walking over to him from the counter. "Here, let me help you."

Amiti glared at him, but stood back and allowed the man to assist him. After all, he couldn't deny that he was probably right – it'd take him all day to figure out how to remove his sword from the soldier's frozen grasp. The man contemplated the sword for a moment, and in an instant, shot out fireballs and melted the ice surrounding his sword.

Amiti's eyes widened in shock as the man removed his sword from the soldier's frozen grasp and handed it to him.

"You- you have Psynergy," Amiti stated weakly, staring at the man in disbelief.

The man nodded.

"Indeed I do, I used to be a pretty powerful Mars Adept back in the day," he said, a dreamy look in his eye. "Of course now with all you young ones in this "new generation" there's hardly any use for people like me anymore."

Amiti's surprised reaction melted away once more to rage.

"If you're an Adept, then why didn't you help me back there?" he asked furiously. "Couldn't you tell that they nearly killed me?"

"I knew you could stop them if you wanted to," the man said calmly, "so I thought it best if I merely stood back and watched. I would've come to your aid if I thought you really needed it."

Amiti slightly doubted that the man would've come to him if he needed anything, but didn't find any legit points to argue with his statement. He then looked down at his sword.

"So, you didn't bring them here…" he said quietly, surveying his sword's sharp edges blankly.

The man laughed. "I already told you I didn't, didn't you believe me?" the man said in a croaky voice. "After all, I'm an Adept too, and we Adepts must stick together; through thick and thin."

Amiti thought that probably only ever worked to the shopkeeper's benefit, not others. He then decided to ask the man a daring question, "you're friends with Alex, aren't you?"

The man held up his palms, backing up from the Water Adept in surprise.

"Whoa, what makes you think that? Just because I'm an Adept you think that marks me in the category with Alex?" he asked him, his eyes widening in astonishment. "I _knew him_, and at one time I could call him an acquaintance, but that was all. I don't, and never will, call Alex a friend. I don't agree with his motives."

Amiti's green eyes met the eyes of the old Mars Adept calmly, the fire behind them extinguishing at last.

"What are his motives?" Amiti asked him finally.

The man's reaction was not one that Amiti would've assumed from his words, but he staggered back, shaking his head laughing.

"Oh, I don't know. Alex's motives always change, on the surface at least," he replied, wiping an eye. "But I know it has been - and to my knowledge still is - wanting to find immortality."

Amiti frowned. "I don't understand, hasn't he already achieved it?" he asked him bleakly. "When I had seen him a few weeks ago, he pretty much admitted himself that he received powers from the Golden Sun, granting him immortality. It's pretty apparent, he doesn't look as old as he ought."

The shopkeeper shook his head.

"My dear boy, haven't you heard the entire story?" he asked.

Amiti hesitated, not sure where the story started and ended, as he had to admit he knew very little on the events of the Golden Sun. Ayuthay was a rather isolated kingdom, and living the life he had when he was raised, not much about other dealings around the world ever reached him unless it was ultimately connected to Ayuthay in some way.

The shopkeeper put a hand on Amiti's forearm, giving him a gentle tug towards one of the dusty old tables. Amiti sat down reluctantly; he still didn't fully trust this man, Adept or not. He also was partly afraid that more soldiers might be making an entrance soon – If they did, he didn't think he had the strength to fight them. Not physically at any rate.

"You see, Alex did get the benefits from the Golden Sun, or at least _partly,_" The man said. "The Stone of Sages' powers got divided between itself and the Mars star, done by none other than the Wise One himself…"

"… Because he knew Alex was after its power and didn't want him granted immortality?" Amiti asked innocently.

The man tilted his head.

"Yes, and no. Alex wanted more than just the immortality part – although that probably was the largest factor for him – but the limitless power that would go along with it. If he had claimed all of the power from the Stone of Sages, he'd very likely be ruling this planet at the very moment while we speak."

Amiti looked down. Just what he expected from him…

"What is he after now? The Stone of Sages can only appear once, can't it?" Amiti asked him.

"Ah, it's hard to say, really. But yes, the Stone of Sages will never rise again. It was Alex's only chance, and the Wise One blew it for him. However, I don't think he's just given up on the thoughts of immortality entirely. No, I think he's still trying to find a way to achieve his childhood dreams somehow, only I choose not to know how, it's easiest that way," the man said with a hoarse laugh.

"Why was he looking for Felix? Did he ever mention it to you?" Amiti asked after a moment's silence.

The man shook his head. "I asked, but he provided no answer. He only paid me about one grand if I didn't mention where he was headed to anyone. I think he either owes some debts somewhere, or he's got some mad people after him, it's hard to say. But he wanted to stay hidden, that's for certain."

"Thank you," said Amiti, offering the Mars Adept a slight smile. "I really appreciate any help that you can offer."

The man nodded, returning the smile by an awkward grin.

"You're welcome," he replied, a slight twinkle of amusement in his eye. "Now if I might ask _you_ something…"

Amiti bowed his head slightly.

"If I have the answer, I will provide it."

"Why is it that you're looking for him, anyway?"

Amiti paused, his eyebrows furrowed into a frown as he contemplated his answer. He didn't wish to lie, but he wanted to word his response carefully.

"He owes me a few explanations for some acts he did in Ayuthay some time ago," he replied casually. "He's sort of left me hanging, and I'm not too happy about it."

The man grinned at him.

"I think I know what you mean," he said, winking at him. "Alex has a way of doing that to a lot of people. Anyway, good luck finding him. He's a tricky fish to catch, let me tell ya…"

"After he finds Felix in Lalivero," Amiti said slowly, "do you know what he was planning on doing next?"

The man frowned, as if he were rethinking over his discussion that he had had with Alex carefully. He met Amiti's eyes again, shaking his head.

"I'm afraid he failed to mention that small detail He doesn't seem to let critical information such as that spill, in my experience."

Amiti let out a sigh, standing up and straightening his chair.

"Thank you very much for everything," Amiti said, offering out a hand to shake his.

The man hesitated a moment, studying Amiti's hand carefully before trusting it enough to take it.

"You're welcome. And like I said: good luck in finding Alex, Lord knows you'll need it."

"Thank you."

For the second time that day, Amiti put his hand on the doorknob, silently praying that he'd manage to make it out of the musky building this time. But just as he begun to turn the brass knob, the man called out to him.

"Wait, let me send you along with something," he muttered, walking to the back of the café and disappearing behind a door.

Amiti sighed as he released the doorknob with great reluctance; he just wanted to get out of there. He knew that he still could, but didn't want to appear rude for walking out when the man wanted to deliver something to him. Fortunately it only took the man a few moments to return with a brown paper bag.

"You said you were looking for a café to eat at," the man told him, "and you'd do best to get out of Harapa as quickly as possible, so I'd suggest not to stop anywhere else and make your way to Lalivero or wherever it is you're headed and eat this along the way. You'll need your strength if you're to travel all that way."

Amiti stared at the bag incredulously, and then looked over gratefully at the man. _And to think he actually hated him a mere hour ago…_

"Thank you so much," Amiti said, taking the bag that the man offered him. "Yes, I think I should leave… But, what of yourself? Surely you must go into hiding as well?"

The man laughed and shook his head.

"Nah, I've lived here for too long and blend in with society too well. They all just think I'm a normal, old man. No one has a clue that I'm an Adept, so I'm safe for now, until that disease grabs me."

Amiti froze at the mention of the pandemic, wondering how fast it would spread all throughout Angara, or worse yet, all of Weyard. Even if he managed to make Kaocho bow down from isolating Adepts into the Ouroboros and reclaimed Ayuthay, if they couldn't find a cure to the disease, or the source of what was causing it, all of the Adepts would die out anyway. A chill went down his spine; it was another thing that he wished not to think about.

Amiti turned back to the man, and nodded.

"I wish you great success," he said warmly, as he moved his hand for the doorknob for the third time that day, and turned it swiftly to leave.

The man stood there tentatively for several moments after the Water Adept departed, bleakly staring at the door before him. After what he felt was an adequate amount of time, he raced behind the counter as fast as he could, kicking a rug off the hardwood floor with his foot. The old man kneeled down and opened a trap door, allowing three men in Kaocho soldier's uniforms into the dusty café.

"Where is he?" one of the soldiers asked distastefully, looking around the room in dismay. He eyes then caught sight of the two men that Amiti had frozen and gasped, making his way over to them hastily.

"It's no use," the old Mars Adept said, slowly following behind the soldiers that he had only recently allowed into his café. "He froze them solid before I could stop him. I have to admit, this one's pretty powerful."

The soldier ran a hand solemnly down the ice sculpture of his general, as he then turned to the old man expectantly.

"Where did he go? Did he tell you?" he demanded.

The old man grinned in return. "Payment?"

The soldier glared at him.

"_That _payment," the soldier began through gritted teeth. "Was only if you agreed to help us. You let two of our men die without raising a hand in their defense, so until that boy is caught, nothing for you."

"You won't know where he went unless I tell you," the old man said gleefully, watching the agony contort the soldier's pallid face.

"Okay, a third," The soldier replied.

"Half."

"Fine, where is he? The sooner you tell us, the sooner we'll have him and the sooner you'll get the rest of your pay," the soldier said, not taking his eyes off the old man.

The Mars Adept smiled, holding out a hand expectantly. The soldier scowled, dropping a small pouch into his hand. The man began to open it, letting coins spill into his hand.

"If you dare so much as to _count it_, I'll take it back right now and find the kid myself!" the soldier roared.

The man laughed, letting the coins roll gently from his hand and back into the pouch. He then eyed the soldiers carefully, a wide smile spread clean across his face.

"He's heading to Lalivero," he said at last. "But don't tell him that you heard it from me."

The soldier rolled his eyes; apparently, he was used to this man's odd demeanor. He then turned to him sharply.

"Now, this attack on my general and comrades… Did – did you summon them KNOWING that the king would manage to take them on?"

"Of course not, now why would I do a thing like that?" the man asked in a tone filled with mockery.

The soldier eyed him warily; he didn't trust him either, and hoped greatly that he weren't just being sent on a wild goose chase.

"He'd better be there when we get there," the soldier said menacingly. "If he's not… Let's just say that I know where to find you."

The old man let out a laugh, which came out more like a cackle.

"Oh, he will be there," he said reassuringly, his grin stretching his wrinkly skin. "There's no doubt in my mind."

**Author's Note:**

Okay, this ended up shorter than I had planned! But I need to space out time between this and when Amiti arrives in the next town that he stops at, so I figured this chapter was necessary.

I'm wondering if I'm dragging this out too long? Am I not getting down to the point quick enough? Am I expressing emotions better than I was in the beginning? Are the "Matthew & co" chapters not so drop-dead boring as they used to be? Any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated. I love constructive criticism, but any short piece would be looked upon greatly as well.

This is still only the beginning of the fic. I'm intending to have at least, oh, maybe 15-20 more chapters? I might end up cutting it shorter if I take a few things out, but I think I'll try to keep it around that length. Still many more characters to come into the story, such as Sveta, Eoleo, Piers, Nowell… Haven't found a place for Himi yet, but I'm working on it :) And Mia! Where does Mia ever fit into the picture? I've been trying, but I can't seem to find a place for her to appear, sadly.

I think I've also pretty much settled on trying to make this fanfic also revolve around some stormshipping. It's not going to be the main plot, and not be too intense (sorry, just not a romance writer ;) ), but I think it'd be a cool pairing and should play a role. Any thoughts on that? Good idea? Bad?

As always, thank you for reading!


	10. At Patcher's Place

Chapter X:

Matthew and Tyrell exchanged sideways glances, their hands hesitating on the hilts of their weapons. Ivan had already begun charging down the hill, ready to come to Jenna's rescue; though from her tone, Matthew thought that she sounded anything but upset – unless she was so hysterical about it that she sounded joyous. But knowing Jenna, Matthew rather doubted it.

Karis followed behind her father, yet taking a slightly slower pace than he had. She glanced over at Matthew and Tyrell, waiting for them to follow, and was surprised that they were not more concerned by Jenna's outcry.

Ivan leapt over the edge of the hill and onto the other side sharply, his sword drawn out in front of him, ready to strike with the least bit of warning. His violet gaze then met Sheba's sheepishly, as his eyes then moved towards Jenna, swinging from her brother's arms in a tight embrace. Ivan lowered his weapon, blushing slightly, while hoping that no one had truly noticed how close he was to striking Felix.

Karis, Matthew and Tyrell made it over the edge of the hill, panting hard as they came to an abrupt halt while observing the scene. Tyrell raised an eyebrow; Matthew stared blankly; Karis rubbed her cheek awkwardly. Who _was _this man anyway?

Jenna's laughter rang across the open hills as he set her down, smiling at her broadly.

"Jenna," he said gingerly, still having a tight grip on her upper arms. "It's been far too long. How are you?"

"Fine, and how about you? And Sheba? No visits? No letters? Didn't you realize that you _can_ infuriate people that way?" she asked in a teasing tone as she poked him.

Felix uncomfortably tucked a small lock of hair behind his ear.

"Well, umm… I _tried _to write, Jenna. But…"

"I tried to force him to but he couldn't do it," Sheba finished for him, and when he shot a glance her direction she merely grinned in an "I-told-you-so" way.

Ivan cleared his throat as he approached Felix from the left, sheathing his sword as he did so, hoping that Felix hadn't noticed Ivan quite nearly beheading him. Felix met Ivan's eye and nodded, smiling as he held out a hand to shake his.

"Hello, Felix," Ivan said, returning the handshake. "It's been quite some time. You haven't changed much."

Felix let out a hollow laugh.

"And neither have you, Ivan. Still the same, short little guy as I remember."

Ivan looked slightly offended by Felix's last statement.

The three younger Adepts still stood by the hill's edge, watching them curiously from where they stood. Matthew gave a start when he'd heard the mention of Felix…

But of course! Felix was his uncle…

Matthew had never met his uncle, or at least, not that he remembered. He'd heard stories from Jenna that Felix had left Kalay when Matthew was only a year old, so he probably had at least seen Felix once. Matthew studied the man more carefully; he appeared to be no more than two years older than his parents, if that. His hair still full and chestnut brown, his face showing no sign of wrinkles or aging as it should have. He seemed youthful and energetic - given the way that he had seen Felix swing his mother around - yet he saw no real resemblances between him and his mother. He knew, however, that Felix's element was earth while Jenna's was fire, so perhaps that was where the differences took place. Apart of him was curious to go meet his uncle, but he had heard so much negativity about him, especially from his dad…

Matthew hesitated; what if Felix didn't like him because he was Isaac's son? Surely he'd still like him because he was Jenna's son as well? He also looked very much like his father had when he was his age, would that change Felix's initial impression on his as well? Matthew moved his foot back into place that he had extended to walk over to them, feeling for one of the first times in a long while rather uncertain.

After the adults greeted each other and exchanged hugs like old friends, all four of them looked up the hill to see Matthew, Tyrell and Karis standing there.

"Ivan," Sheba began, nodding in Karis's direction. "Is that – _your daughter_?"

Ivan nodded proudly, smiling at Karis. "That sure is. Karis, come over here and meet some of the warriors of Vale!"

Karis nervously tucked a strand of sea foam green hair behind her ear and casually made her way over to her father. She hated being introduced to people for the first time.

Ivan put an arm around her shoulder and gestured to Sheba and Felix.

"Karis, I'd like you to meet Sheba -" he said in a tone filled with enthusiasm, while Karis smiled and nodded in Sheba's direction, "-and Felix. We all traveled together back during our quest to light the Lighthouses."

They exchanged quick hellos before Felix glanced up the hill towards Matthew and Tyrell, who slowly made their way down.

"Ah, no need to tell me who's son this is," Felix said, making his way up the hill to meet them. "With those red spikes, you must be Tyrell."

Tyrell gaped at him.

"How'd you know my name?" he asked in awe.

Felix grinned, tapping his temple.

"ESP," he said, winking. His hazel eyes then traveled over to Matthew, who felt the heat rise in his cheeks at being noticed at last by his uncle. "And good lord, you look just like your father, Matthew. For a moment I thought you were him standing before me -"

Matthew looked at his feet; why had he seemed to notice the resemblance so quickly? They reached each other at last, slowing down to until they came to a halt before one another. Felix smiled at him, catching Matthew by surprise.

"I can't believe how much you've grown. Last time I saw you you had a diaper rash," he said with a chuckle. "But now – you're almost a man. You look to be a strong warrior yourself. I'm sure you must make your parents proud."

"He sure does," Jenna said behind Felix, grinning broadly.

Matthew turned a deep shade of crimson; didn't his mom know when she was embarrassing him? Or did she just merely enjoy it?

Matthew took a step forward towards his uncle, offering him a small smile. Although Matthew wasn't all that short for his age, he only came up to about Felix's shoulder. He wasn't certain on exactly how tall Felix was, but he could gauge just by looking at him that he was fairly tall; likely well over six foot.

Felix stared at him blankly for a few moments; an odd silence falling between them, and then before Matthew could fully comprehend it, he found himself in his uncle's embrace, which he returned gratefully.

So he had accepted him. After all of Matthew's worrying…

After a brief moment, Felix pulled back, his hands resting Matthew's shoulders. Matthew grinned up at him.

"Hello, Uncle Felix," he said, hesitating at addressing his uncle for the first time. "I've always… Looked forward to the day that I'd get to meet you – I mean, meet you again. Well, what I mean is –"

Karis let out a giggle. All eyes turned to her, as she smiled over at Matthew.

"See? And you were so worried that your uncle wouldn't accept you for who you were," she said playfully.

Felix looked at Matthew incredulously.

"Not accept you?" Felix repeated. "Why wouldn't I? You're my nephew, aren't you?"

Matthew shrugged. "Well, yeah. It's just that… Well, I know you and my dad don't like each other much."

Felix let out a laugh, patting Matthew's shoulder.

"Isaac and I have our quarrels and arguments, there's no doubt about that," Felix replied with a shrug. "But that doesn't mean that I dislike him, much less take it out on his son. You're worrying yourself over nothing, kiddo. Relax and breathe a little. Speaking of which…"

He paused, frowning slightly as he turned towards his sister. "Where _is _Isaac?"

At the mention of Isaac, Jenna's expression darkened as she averted her gaze from his.

"Gone," she muttered in barely more than a whisper.

Felix raised an eyebrow. "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"Exactly as it sounds," Karis said, letting out a loud sigh. "But it's too long of a story, and if we don't eat soon Tyrell's going to soon eat us, so…"

Sheba glanced over at Tyrell and nodded.

"Completely understand," she said smiling. "I'm feeling the same way."

Felix watched Jenna reluctantly for a moment, and then nodded.

"Okay, where were you all going?" he asked her.

Jenna gestured towards the other side of the hill.

"We're going to Patcher's Place," Jenna replied. "We're wanting to ask Patcher if he's seen Kraden or knows where he is."

At this point, Felix looked dumbfounded.

"Kraden? I thought you said Isaac was gone…"

"I did."

Felix shook his head, unable to make sense of it, and at the moment chose it not to be a very large matter of importance.

"Okay, fine. Let's get to Patcher's Place, then we'll talk," he said. "Sheba and I passed it on our way here about an hour ago, so it isn't too awful far."

They all headed on their way once more, now with Sheba and Felix accompanying them. Karis took up the back alongside Tyrell, in front of them stood Jenna, Sheba and Ivan sharing some conversation and laughing as they did so, with Felix and Matthew taking up the front. Karis smiled as she noticed Matthew talking animatedly with his uncle, and Felix appearing at least somewhat enthusiastic about their discussion. She knew it really meant a lot to Matthew, and was happy for his sake that he was finally getting to know the uncle that he never met.

Especially if something really had happened to Isaac…

As Felix had promised, they arrived in Patcher's Place after an hour's walk. Tyrell stole one glance at Patcher's shop, and shook his head.

"No way, you ain't convincing me to go into _that _place again," Tyrell said obstinately. "That man HATES me!"

Karis sighed, shaking her head.

"No, Tyrell, he doesn't _hate _you… It's just…" said Karis, stopping short as she recalled their trip to Patcher's Place when they had only begun their first quest. Back when Tyrell was only a kid, he'd nearly burned Patcher's shop down, putting Patcher into quite an uproar, and in result, ended up kicking both him and Garet out. The last time they visited wasn't a whole lot better, as Patcher nearly refused Tyrell entry and Tyrell, out of rage, nearly burned the whole place down _again_.

Karis shook her head at the thought of it. Their little quarrel, in her opinion, was stupid. She shoved Tyrell forward, although he didn't resist her as he could easily had, even on an empty stomach.

The bell rang as they entered single file into the shop. Patcher's shop was a rather unique one – he ran an inn, café and store all within the same building. It was a favorite to travelers and tourists needing to stop and rest up before they continued their travels. Patcher must've known it was a favorite too – for he'd managed to stay open for the past 30 years.

Patcher looked up from the counter as he noticed Felix and Matthew. He grinned over at Matthew, and nodded in Felix's direction.

"A table, please," Felix told him. "And possibly your time. There's a few things that we were wanting to discuss with you, particularly regarding Kraden."

~(*)~

Karis took a sip of her hot chocolate: she had never remembered another cup of it ever tasting so good. They were at last finished with their meal, and all throughout it she and Matthew had explained to Patcher, Felix and Sheba how they returned home from their adventures to find Isaac and Garet gone. Jenna and Ivan occasionally would add in their little tidbits of information, but for the most part they remained silent, allowing their children to describe the scenario for them.

Once Karis was finished, she cleared her throat, looking up at Patcher expectantly. Patcher wore a deep frown, concentrating hard on the intricate pattern of swirls on the tablecloth.

"What you're describing to me sounds as if Isaac and Garet didn't leave on their own accord," he said after giving the matter much thought. "But could anyone seriously succeed in abducting Isaac and Garet? THE Warriors of Vale?"

Felix shook his head.

"Honestly? No, I don't think anyone could have the capability of doing that," he said bluntly. "This doesn't sound all that farfetched for Isaac. He probably heard of some trinket in an faraway land and went to go seek it, end of story."

"Not like that, Felix," Ivan said quietly, opening his mouth for the first time since they had arrived. "Isaac isn't entirely reckless. He wouldn't do something to make the kids unnecessarily worry, unless he absolutely had to-"

"Or didn't want us following," Matthew interjected suddenly.

All eyes at the table turned to him.

"What do you mean, Matthew?" Tyrell asked him, setting his glass back down on the table with a dull thud.

Realization slowly began to sink into Matthew, viewing the matter differently than he had when they first set out to Kalay. He looked into each pair of eyes, until his gaze rested on Ivan.

"You're right on the one hand, Ivan. I don't think my dad and Garet would want us to unnecessarily worry ourselves," said Matthew, turning to Felix as he watched his nephew tentatively. "I think that's _exactly _why he didn't leave a note. Maybe he was worried that if he had, we'd want to help and follow…"

"What could they be doing that they don't want our help with though?" Jenna asked, more to herself than anyone in particular. "That's stupid."

Karis's violet gaze slowly traveled from Jenna to the tablecloth, quickly mesmerized by its pattern as she spoke, "Matthew's got a point though: Garet and Isaac wouldn't want us to fall into danger, even if they were in peril themselves. Maybe they really did leave on their own."

"That's a good theory, Matthew," said Ivan finally, offering Matthew a warm, knowing smile. "But I'm still not entirely convinced. I would've thought if there was something that important in which Garet and Isaac needed to tend to immediately and didn't want to involve you kids into it, they would've come to us. But we hadn't heard anything from them. It all doesn't add up."

"What if my dad was trying to save you guys too?" Matthew muttered, more as a statement rather than a question demanding an answer.

Jenna bit her lip, looking from one member at the table to the next.

"I don't know the reasoning," she said slowly. "But I think if there's a reason that Isaac and Garent don't want us involved – we should be concerned. And they probably really do need our help."

"The real question is what are they doing out there?" Karis asked.

Karis's "real" question silenced the entire table; no one really seemed to know the answer to it. So much mystery still shrouded them, and they still had very few leads to work on.

"We were hoping to find Kraden," Ivan explained to Patcher, "in hopes that maybe he'd know the latest scoop and have some idea of where Isaac and Garet are. He may know of something going on that we don't. Have you seen him?"

Patcher rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I haven't seen Kraden in a long while," Patcher told them. "Not since I told you kids that he was waiting for you in the Konpa Ruins…"

Karis sighed, closing her eyes as she brought a hand through her hair. Alas, no help.

"However," Patcher said rather suddenly, rising from their table and striding over to the window, "just yesterday, Kraden's pigeon came by, interestingly enough. I wouldn't be surprised if you gave it a message, it would probably wind its way to Kraden."

Karis shrugged doubtfully, shooting a glance in Matthew and Tyrell's direction.

"Couldn't hurt," said Matthew, looking over towards the adults for their approval. "Things always happen for a reason after all, right?"

Matthew wrote up a note at their table carefully, describing the situation to Kraden and asking for his advice. After he was finished, he handed the letter to Karis, who scrutinized it with a meaningful eye. He watched her tentatively as her eyes scanned over each line written on the paper. Upon finishing, she shook her head.

"I don't think it's a good idea to give Kraden details so blatantly," she told him. "What if someone confiscates this letter? No, we should be more vague. Try it again."

Matthew groaned, shoving the ink bottle and quill in Karis's direction.

"No, I think _you _should write it this time, Karis. After all, you're the one who found all the flaws in it, so you'd know how to correct them."

Karis thought Matthew's tone was slightly harsh, but he was grinning at her in a teasing way the entire time. She laughed, taking the quill.

"Well, all right, but you'll have to approve it for me," she said, dipping the quill in ink as she began to write her message.

It only took her a few minutes to finish her letter. She handed it to Matthew, and Tyrell instantly leapt over to Matthew's side to attempt to read the already slanted writing sideways:

"_Dear Kraden,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. We all miss our travels with you and Rief already!_

_We came home to a disaster at the Plateau and hope that maybe you would have some input as to help us. We'd really like to speak with you in person. Any advice you might have would help us wonders._

_~ Karis, Matthew and Tyrell"_

Karis eyed the two boys suspiciously as they read and reread her letter, wondering what was running through their minds. She thought it was a shame that she didn't know how to read them.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked them.

"It's a little too… vague. Don't you think? I mean, it makes sense to me, but I know the situation already by heart. Don't think you should tell Kraden a little more?" Tyrell suggested, handing the letter back to Matthew, who in return handed it to Karis. Karis reread her writing, and shook her head.

"I think Kraden'll understand it," she replied firmly.

She carefully folded her letter until it wasn't much larger than the size of a sand dollar and tied it to the pigeon's leg, giving it a stroke on the back.

"Take this to Kraden for me," she whispered, not fully realizing how absent-mindedly she was doing it in.

She could've almost sworn the pigeon winked, before soaring out of the open window, into the late afternoon sky.

Matthew, Tyrell and Karis watched it curiously for a moment as its shape shrank smaller and smaller into the distance. Tyrell laughed, shaking his head.

"Sometimes I think I _really _underestimate Kraden's pet pigeon," he said, chuckling inwardly to himself at the memory of how much he hated that bird, and now to think that it just might save his dad's life.

**Author's Note:**

Okay, this was probably the dullest chapter out of the lot so far :o I'm having quite a challenging time writing Matthew's party whilst trying to keep things interesting. I know this chapter probably came in more as a filler (and lacked a ton of emotion, no doubt), but I had to add this little tidbit in, So… hope it was okay :D

Does anyone mind the character divide between chapters? Is it getting too confusing to keep up with? I'm trying to be sure to write a bit of a recap of the events in Dark Dawn and TLA for those that haven't completed/played the game (or have forgotten some bits of it :) ).

Hope everyone's enjoying the story so far! And as always, I'd love to hear what you think!


	11. Father and Son

Chapter XI:

The Water Adept lifted another book onto his desk, hoping that perhaps this would resolve some things for him. He had been searching for days, and now many books lay scattered all around his room at the Tolbi inn. After arriving from Lalivero, he had dedicated more time to his research, for if he were truly to go on this mission alone and unaided – he figured that he'd better move _quickly._

He suspected that the Tuaparang if not anyone else already knew what he was up to - or at least, _part_ of what he was trying to accomplish. Alex had simple motives, yet sometimes the patterns in which he worked were complicated – therefore confusing people. He figured he could drive away the Tuaparang for at least a little while, but he felt even without the pressure of the Tuaparang breathing down his neck he still had the disease to worry about.

If he could not solve this before it consumed to him…

Alex shook his head, resolving that it would _not _affect him before he could get his mystery solved. After all, he was probably the most powerful Adept alive. Being affected by the Stone of Sages, even if it didn't grant him entire "immortality and supreme powers", it did grant him some.

Alex rested his forehead in his palm, gazing deeply into the same star chart as he had done each time with his research. Somehow this chart was supposed to answer his questions, only he had little ideas as to how.

Alex smoothed out the chart with his free hand, observing all the shapes and patterns carefully. No, this wasn't a star chart as he first assumed; all of the marked points were not in the correct orbit to be stars. It signified something else… But he couldn't figure out what it was for the life of him. He'd been staring at it for months now, maybe longer, and still he had no clue as to what it signified and how it would help him to achieve his goal.

Even his power seemed to have its limits…

He figured there must be someone out there with the ability to translate it, or at least know what it meant.

"Kraden would know," Alex thought dully, although he knew that asking Kraden would be entirely out of the picture.

Even if Kraden did know, chances were that he wouldn't share the knowledge with him. He and Alex weren't exactly on the greatest of terms these days. Perhaps if he had fully explained the situation of the Psynergy Well to him as he had to Felix…

Alex scowled at the remembrance of Felix's stubborn reaction, and how he hadn't even consider what Alex was trying to say for a moment. True, Alex never usually told the truth, but there were occasions when he had, yet no one would still believe him.

He sighed aloud, running a hand absentmindedly through his aqua blue hair. He supposed he couldn't expect anything more for a man that's always dishonest.

Suddenly, Alex felt a sudden surge of wind hit the back of his neck and the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath. He hardly needed to turn around to know that the sword drawn had been pointed at him, yet he did so anyway, to confront whoever it was that wished him harm.

He assumed it was his old alliance, the old Mars Adept from Harapa, wanting to smuggle any other gold or information that Alex had, or possibly Felix, coming back to negotiate his offer, or _maybe _it was even members of the Tuaparang, although he slightly doubted that one. He didn't think they'd be showing up in his hotel room that fast – though he _certainly _didn't expect to find the mirror image of himself glaring at him.

Alex did a double take, then relaxed somewhat as he studied the man. No, it was not a mirror image of himself as he had initially thought; in fact he saw many differences in the man that stood before him and himself. It was only his initial intake that caught him off-guard. There were many resemblances, however: the raised cheekbones, the sleek, slender build, the narrowness in the bridge of the nose, and of course the thick, luscious strands of aqua blue hair that Alex had become quite known for. It wasn't every day, after all, that you'd see a man with hair of that shade - unless of course you were in Lemuria. While Alex had initially noticed their similarities, he could also see many differences. Although the man was younger than himself, he was a great deal shorter, and probably wasn't going to be growing much more in the remaining time of his youth; his cheeks had a fullness to them that Alex's had never had – and the eyes. The emerald green eyes… He himself did not possess them, but he felt as though he had known them from somewhere…

"May I help you?" Alex asked calmly, eyeing the younger Water Adept that stood before him.

Amiti continued to glare at Alex, careful not to remove his green eyes from Alex's airy turquoise ones.

"To be honest, I'm afraid not," Amiti said in disgust.

Alex turned around in his chair slightly, glancing at the Verdant Sword pointed directly at him, the tip of its blade hovering only a few inches away from the back of his neck.

"Please, there's no need for that, my dear boy," said Alex, meeting Amiti's eyes once more. "I will not harm you. Just come do whatever it is that you have come to do and be on your way. I have some studying to attend to."

Amiti hesitated, and then shook his head.

"Then I'm afraid that my blade must remain where it is," Amiti replied solemnly. "For I am here for nothing more than to take your life."

Alex smirked. He was surprised by the boy's bravery; he thought surely he must not truly know whom he was challenging…

"Who _are _you?" he asked Amiti, resting an arm lazily on the back of his chair, as though no sword were being pointed at him whatsoever. "And do you really know who I am?"

"Yes, I do. You're Alex of the Tuaparang - we've met before, there is no way that I couldn't help recognizing your face, mask or not," said Amiti, gripping the hilt of his sword more firmly. "As for me, my name is Amiti, king of Ayuthay."

Ayuthay? The sound of the name traveled through Alex's mind subconsciously, reminiscing over a past when he'd traveled to the distant land many years ago, remembering some of the most glorious days of his life spent there, before snapping himself back together. He nodded, bowing his head slightly.

"And may I ask _why _it is that this King of Ayuthay wishes to behead me?" he asked facetiously.

"For the crimes that you have committed within my country," Amiti said thickly, still unsure of how much he wanted to tell Alex. He had thought about it much on the way there, and still didn't know if he ever really wanted Alex to know that he was his son.

And if he could live with it if he did.

"Crimes?" Alex asked with a laugh. "I've done no such thing. Your battle is with the Tuaparang, my young king. I've done nothing to Ayuthay, except perhaps to help them."

Alex's mind again drifted back to the days that he had been there. The dirt-poor kingdom, which dwelled in the middle of a barren desert. Devoid of all trades with other nations, the country in and of itself was dying. Had he not started their Alchemy Well when he had… Ayuthay as they knew it wouldn't exist. He honestly was surprised that it was ever able to turn around at all, despite the fact that he fixed their Alchemy Well.

Amiti eyed him sharply.

"You lied to the royal family about your intentions," he said sharply. "You lied about why you started the well. Your best interests weren't for its people-"

"But if I hadn't, Ayuthay wouldn't be alive," Alex interrupted.

"-But for your own dirty plans," Amiti finished, not removing his eyes from Alex's. "You wanted the Eclipse, and strangely you wanted to end it – for reasons I cannot even begin to fathom – But nonetheless, there's no taking back what you've done."

Alex shook his head.

"Alright, I'll be honest with you by saying that I hadn't been entirely straight with the former King of Ayuthay on my intents, but…" he stopped, realizing what he was saying: _The former king_. Paithos had ruled during his short stay in Ayuthay, and if this boy were king, than Paithos must've deceased, yet if he had…

"So, you are also a descendant of the Exathi, I presume?" Alex asked offhandedly. "I didn't realize that Paithos had an heir. A blood-related one, at that."

Amiti's eyes held uneasiness.

"I am," he replied, dropping his blade slightly without truly meaning to. "I am not a direct descendant of the great Paithos himself, but am his nephew –"

His nephew… These words stung Alex like the piercing of a knife. His mind began whirling at a furious pace that made him nearly fall to the floor. He suddenly recognized those green eyes, knowing where he had seen them before. He was furious with himself; why hadn't he realized it sooner? The eyes proved it. The full cheeks, the soft curved chin… This was without a doubt the princess of Ayuthay, Veriti's son. Alex then thought back on his first impression of the boy. His first intake had been that they boy was mirror of himself, yet Amiti was _so _different, why had he thought that? Then he realized…

And knew that Amiti must've realized too, for there would be no other reason for Amiti to begrudge him for something he had done in Ayuthay, save for that.

The color drained from his face as his eyes widened in surprise, studying Amiti more carefully. Yes, there was no other explanation for it: Amiti had to be his son. He had heard something about Ayuthay having some prince, yet he gave it no thought before.

And here he was, his very own son standing before him, wishing to claim his life.

Mixed emotions coursed through Alex. Frustration? Sympathy? Anger? Sadness? He wasn't quite sure how to react, or how to take this revelation. He never thought about what he'd do if he had a son before.

Alex held up a hand not long after recovering from the initial shock of it all.

"Please, sit down. I have some things to say to you. Put down your sword: if you're still intent on killing me after you hear what I have to say, you may do so. I won't stop you."

Amiti considered Alex's words momentarily, as he then lowered his weapon, his expression softening slightly.

Alex nodded.

"Thank you. Now please, sit," he said, gesturing to the bed.

Amiti moved a few books aside and did so. Alex watched him for a moment with an odd glint in his eye that Amiti couldn't quite discern. Was it possibly longing? Concern? Compassion?

Now that the sword had been removed from his neck, Alex turned his chair around to face Amiti directly.

"I think I know why you're here," he said quietly.

Amiti's eyes widened, surprised by Alex's humbled demeanor. Normally he was always so confident, so proud - yet as he spoke to him then, he seemed anything but.

"You do?" Amiti asked him.

Alex nodded, his eyes painfully avoiding the emerald green ones in which were identical to those of the woman he had once loved.

"You've come to discuss your father, haven't you?"

Amiti gripped the blankets firmly. So Alex had known. Yet, he still never came back... Sadness seemed to wash over Amiti's rage, feeling hot tears well in his eyes. He didn't know why it meant so much to him. After all, Alex was a heartless, deceitful person, yet it pained him to know that Alex simply didn't care… About him or his mother.

"I only recently found out," Amiti said thickly, restraining tears. "No one wanted to tell me."

Alex looked up sharply, their eyes meeting at last.

"What do you mean?"

"I was told ever since I was young that I - didn't have a father," Amiti faltered, feeling stupid even then as he stated his prior beliefs. It sounded unrealistic and unbelievable, yet strangely he had never questioned it before. "My mother had been believed to have divine powers, and had miraculously conceived me with her own abilities. It was only up until recently that my uncle told me she had fallen in love with the Adept that came and started our Well. He had left her with a child. I would presume that Adept… To be you."

A long silence emitted between the two, both lost for words.

"I –" Alex began, unsure of how to delicately put this. "Had no idea - that you even existed."

Amiti considered him for a moment.

"Then, if what you say is true, how did you know what I have come to discuss with you?"

Alex offered him a wry grin.

"Did it ever occur to you whom you look like?" he asked. "I know you've traveled with the children of the Warriors of Vale. Had no one pointed out to you that our resemblance is… uncanny?"

Amiti felt color rise into his cheeks, avoiding Alex's gaze entirely.

"No," he replied shortly. "I've never noticed."

The truth was that Amiti _had_ noticed. He had noticed the first time he had ever met Alex. Amiti felt that deep down he had known the truth all along, but he had never truly wanted to admit it. He had known back when Tret said that he and Rief shared the same aura, but he didn't want to believe it could be so. He had known when Emperor Unan's advisor had accidentally mistaken Amiti for Alex. He had also known by the way Kraden chose to avoid the topic of Alex constantly, and had made the statement that he didn't wish to reveal who Arcanus truly was until it was all over, so no one would have a hard time trying to fight him. If it weren't Amiti, then who else would hesitate in killing the Mercury Clan's betrayer? Deep down, Amiti had known it all along, but chose to deny it. Now the truth had been thrust in front of him, there was no denying it anymore.

Both of them sat there silently, with neither one of them knowing what to tell the other. Alex wasn't sure whether he ought to be happy or miserable with the news that he had a son. He would've been happier had Amiti not wished to kill him as desperately as he did. He was also marked with the Warriors of Vale, therefore marking him as an opponent. _An enemy_.

Alex watched Amiti carefully with his soft, turquoise-blue eyes. Amiti seemed too innocent to truly be his enemy. Although he was associated with the other Adepts, that didn't entirely make him one of them. If he was as naïve as he appeared to be, then perhaps he had merely been coaxed into helping them…

And maybe he could be coaxed again. If only he could persuade Amiti to no longer wish to kill him…

"I'm… sorry," Alex said slowly, looking at Amiti seriously. "I suppose this must've come to you as a bit of a… shock."

"More," Amiti replied grimly, not meeting Alex's eye as he still continued to stare at the ground. "I had no idea that I even had a father, much less did I know that he was _you_. A criminal, a murderer, a con-artist-"

"Wait," Alex interjected, holding up a hand to silence him. "You never even gave me a chance to explain myself. Wouldn't you really care to know the truth about the things I did in Ayuthay, besides these made-up stories that your mind has invented? I'm amazed that you would be so prejudice against me, yet you've never really heard me speak or given me a chance to explain my actions."

Amiti nodded, waving a hand.

"Go on, then," he said with a challenging air. "Tell me - although I doubt that I can trust anything that you might say. You have a reputation of being dishonest."

Alex threw his head back, shaking his long, wispy aqua bangs from his face. His turquoise-blue eyes bore into Amiti's.

"It all started when I first came to Ayuthay," Alex began, for the first time re-alliterating what had actually gone on in Ayuthay, rather than simply reporting his success in starting the Alchemy Well as he had done with the Tuaparang. He thought he'd never utter those words, and now he found himself speaking them from his own lips to his son, one in which he thought he didn't have.

"It had been ten years after the Golden Sun, yet it left me weak. I had survived merely by chance, had Mia not come to help me-"

Amiti raised an eyebrow as he interrupted the older Mercury Adept.

"Mia helped you? I heard tell that she hated you."

Alex grinned slightly. It was something that he was surprised Amiti had managed to pick up on within his brief travels with the other Adepts.

"Yes, she did, oh sorry – _does _hate me. But yet, Mia is a good person. Her heart is too pure, perhaps too pure for her own good. With her being the way that she is, there was no way possible that she could merely let her blood relative die. As hard as it may be to imagine, considering the way we are with each other these days, there was a time when we were very close. One that I will not go into at the moment, for if I do we'll be here all day."

Amiti shifted around uneasily. He wasn't sure whether it wise on his part to hear what Alex had to say at all. He had always been taught to hear out the guilty party before convicting them, yet he felt this situation didn't necessary apply to those rules. Alex was known for manipulating people and spreading lies, did he really need to put himself subject to that before challenging him to a duel? Of course, Amiti had chosen to claim his life in a traditional matter within a sword fight: it was the only way that he'd feel satisfied by murdering the man that had betrayed his mother, and had brought destruction to Ayuthay – and all of Weyard.

Amiti's fingers trailed around the hilt of his sword. Even if he were to end his father's conversation then, would _he _be able to fight him? Amiti liked to believe that he could, but he wondered deep down if he'd be able to actually inflict harm upon him. After all, despite what the man had done, he was indeed his father, and the thought of shedding his own blood, regardless of how it managed to become that way…

A chill ran down Amiti's spine; he slowly began to think that he really should've continued to Morgal. Turning around and making his way to Lalivero just to find Alex had been a waste of time, considering he no longer felt the strength – or impetus - to fight him. He felt unsure, indecisive, uncertain; whereas Alex seemed to appear more shaken than Amiti had ever seen him, he was still calm, cool and collected. He knew he'd be the same way in a battle as well, if Alex even allowed it to get to that point. If he were truly a very skilled manipulator, they wouldn't even have to get so far as to draw weapons.

"Anyway," Alex said, ignoring Amiti's most recent input on his story. "Twenty years ago the travel to Ayuthay was rough, for you see, Ayuthay wasn't the luscious, prosperous country as it is today. It was torrid, and the heat scorching. Perhaps you've already noticed this for yourself, but we Water Adepts cannot tolerate the heat as well as other Adepts – or sadly, normal humans can. It is our one major weakness. If our temperature rises to a point of being far too high -"

"We die? Amiti asked, unable to contain himself as Alex had paused dramatically.

"No. No, it'd be a mercy if that were all we did. But no, we go into a state in which is called "the living death"."

Amiti cringed; he had heard stories about that. People reaching a certain point where they begin to lose their senses, and minds…

"Do they ever die once reaching that state? Is it very easy to have happen?" Amiti asked, concern creeping up into his tone.

Alex tilted his head ever so slightly, his arms lay relaxed on the armrests of his chair.

"No, you'd have to be in extreme temperatures for very long lengths of time. And unless you were traveling in a desert for hours on end, you could probably never reach that point. And yes, Water Adepts in this state do eventually die – but you see, we aren't exactly all "powerless" against such extreme temperatures. It's our body's way of coping, and surviving. We are forced into shutting down our minds, and other areas so that we can survive. Although tragically, it is irreversible once reaching the point of the living death, and eventually you do die out."

Alex could tell Amiti was getting quite disturbed by their conversation, so he therefore waved a hand carelessly, throwing aqua hair over his shoulder as he did so.

"Now, back to how I met Veriti. You see, it's not what you're thinking it was: I came to Ayuthay, started up the well for my own convenience, had a little fun toying around with their princess, and left. No, it was far from that, Amiti, and it most certainly wasn't that simple. There was much debate over my options, and to be entirely truthful, I do believe I chose the wrong one. You see, I had fallen unconscious in the desert near Ayuthay, and Veriti had saved me. It was from that point on that she had fondness for me."

"You shouldn't have let my mother fall for you," Amiti muttered through gritted teeth. "You should've just left, or told her the truth."

Alex eyed Amiti coolly, his gaze piercing with the powers of ice itself.

"Truth? You assume that I hadn't tried that already?"

Amiti blinked. The truth was, Amiti really knew nothing about what Alex had told Veriti, or how they ever ended up getting to the point they had. Amiti just knew that Alex left her, without explanation, and never came back.

Alex resumed speaking, leaning back slightly in his chair.

"I tried to tell her. I didn't tell her that I worked for the Tuaparang, or the fact that I hadn't restored their Well for their best interests, but I did try to warn her. I told her none of it was a good idea; I wasn't meant for her, and she wasn't meant for me. With her being the princess of Ayuthay, and with me having duties elsewhere, we simply could not be together. Our relationship could never work out. She didn't believe me, or take me seriously at any rate. Perhaps she did believe me, only she chose not to act upon her instincts.

"I didn't act upon them either. I _allowed_ her to fall in love with me, but then, I allowed myself to fall in love with her in return. I don't know if you knew anything about my life before the Golden Sun, but during the years I sought it, and the years after I had obtained it, it was anything but blissful. I think having dinner in Ayuthay with their king was the first time I had ever had a peaceful, good meal with pleasant discussion since I first left Imil."

This somehow caught Amiti off-guard. He never contemplated Alex's journey into Ayuthay to have been so emotional for him. He somehow pictured something quite similar as to what Alex described Amiti's thoughts to be - Alex had many gifts and talents, Amiti began to wonder whether reading minds might be one of those as well.

"I had constantly been on the move. Plotting this thing after the next after the next. I had to constantly think up new lies I'd tell to this person, try to convince another of something else, and finally, lie to the only friend I really had just so I could get his help – and not to benefit him any. When I went to Ayuthay, I was appreciated for who I was. Not as the powerful Adept as I had been appreciated by everywhere else in the world, but as a person. Veriti had already befriended me long before she knew I was even an Adept. Let me tell you now, Amiti, that I have received many, many offers from women during my travels before, but most all of them knew of my abilities and who I was. They had no interest in me. Your mother, Veriti, was different.

"After fixing the Alchemy Well, which took me surprisingly longer than I had expected, I decided to stay in Ayuthay for a short while. Did the Tuaparang approve of it? No. I lied and said I was having difficulties in starting the Well. Did they deserve for me to lie to them? Yes. Do I regret it? Maybe a little, but not for the reasons you would think.

"By this point, I had well fallen in love with your mother, yet I was furious with myself for doing so. I couldn't be with her - I had other things I had to do. Yet I found myself being selfish and allowing it all to happen. Eventually I got up the guts to tell her that I couldn't stay, that I would have to leave, and that I could not be with her. As you can imagine, things only escalated from there.

"I made some terribly wrong decisions while in Ayuthay, ones that I can never hope to make right now. But well, as we all live, we all learn as well. May I have learned something from what I had been through, and perhaps even though I cannot make it up to her, I can make it up to you."

Alex looked over at Amiti expectantly, though the young Mercury Adept remained silent, processing all of what Alex had said slowly. It all stung him _terribly_. He slowly began to feel guilty thinking that Alex was so horrible. The thought never occurred to him that perhaps the blame had more to do with his mother's choices rather than Alex's. Perhaps Alex really _had _tried to shove Veriti away, but found that he couldn't. Amiti felt hot tears begin to well in his eyes, and just hoped he'd be able to control them before they spilled down his cheeks. That would've just been all too humiliating for the young king to handle.

"What was it, if I may ask, that you would've chosen differently if you had the option to do so? Would you not have gotten so… _involved?_" Amiti asked, unable to bring himself to say what he truly meant. Meaning would Alex have done everything in the world to prevent his existence had he known what the outcome would've been?

"No," Alex said quietly, his eyes drifting to the floor, and Amiti wondered for a moment if he hadn't caught a glimpse of tears shimmering in them. "I have no regrets on our relationship. If I could've chosen differently, I wouldn't have left."

He slowly brought his gaze up to meet Amiti's, both pairs of eyes brimmed with tears. Alex blinked them away, offering Amiti a warm smile.

"I know what you must think of me, and how you must feel. And honestly, I don't blame you. I'd be very upset too if I were in your position. But please think for a moment how everyone else in the situation felt. Your mother, myself… Looking back on everything, I see now that what I did was wrong, but when you're young and naïve and are presented with the situation, you fail to see those things. Perhaps you know what I mean. Have you not been presented with a situation, and looking back on it from a different point of view had wished you'd done something differently?"

Amiti nodded, not needing to necessarily recall a particular event. "All too well."

Alex nodded. "So you must understand some of what I mean. Anyway, I figure that you must hate me, and although I have said all of this, you probably still do. I cannot change the image you have of me from your own mind, but I can hope to at least explain some of it. I never knew that I had a son. I had only learned that Veriti was dead some years ago, and therefore didn't bother even going back to Ayuthay. I had, yes, heard about you before, but I didn't know in what relation you were to Paithos. Perhaps I had heard you were his nephew, perhaps not. But I had very little knowledge to go by in the matter, and just never thought much of it. Anyway, I'll understand if you would still like to finish me. In fact, I will not stop you from doing so. But apart of me really hopes that - although this is quite an unreality - that maybe _somehow_, you'd allow me to make up all of our lost time."

Amiti considered him for a moment, uncertainty seizing his entire demeanor.

"What do you mean?" he asked, as ridiculous as the question might've sounded, he wanted to clarify Alex's intentions.

"I mean that I would like to get to know my only son, Amiti. I would like to be there for him, to support him… Being king at only twenty years old couldn't be easy, I'm sure."

"Oh, you've no idea," Amiti thought bitterly, but didn't declare this aloud.

Mixed emotions stirred within him. Secretly, this was exactly what he had always longed for once finding his father. He hoped to find a man that was truly sincere, that wanted to know him, to care for him. Someone that he could confide in - one that would understand him. That was long before he knew Alex was his father, and since he had known that, everything in his perspective about his father had changed.

Could he have a relationship with his father? Did he want to? How could he really accept Alex's word as the truth? After all, he had no proof to back any of it up. Although he did seem sincere, he could've been lying. Alex was notorious for that.

"You'd want to—?" Amiti asked after a long silence.

Alex briefly looked into Amiti's eyes and nodded.

"I would," he said firmly. "That is, if you would allow me to be apart of your life."

Amiti suddenly hated himself for being there. He wished that he had just gone to Morgal like he had promised the Chancellor that he would. He wished that he wasn't being confronted with this new situation of dealing with his father. For as prepared as he thought himself to be, he found that he really was not. If Alex were indeed lying to him, Amiti could not detect it, and Alex would have to have been much craftier than Amiti gave him credit for.

Which knowing Alex, was quite a possibility…

Everything Alex had told him had seemed to be legit enough. It all made sense to him. Could Alex truly feel remorse? Was he not as bad as he initially had thought? He knew that this was probably one of those points where he'd have to make a choice between what was right and what he desired - but truth be told, he couldn't decipher between the two anymore.

Alex stood up and crossed the room towards Amiti. For a moment their eyes locked, both attempting to read the other without neither one truly having the ability to mind read. Faster than Amiti could realize it happening, he found himself in a tight embrace with his father.

And for one brief moment for the first time since the Eclipse ended, he actually felt like everything would be alright.

**Author's Note:**

Whew! This chapter was longer than I had expected it to be! I imagined it'd have some length to it but didn't picture that I'd actually have to cut out parts of this chapter to get it to fit! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it.

And just so you know, I haven't gone entirely mad and made Alex a softie ;D You'll see!


	12. A Letter From Kraden

Chapter XII:

The cabin was eerily quiet as they followed the mayor of Harapa down into the cabin's basement. Matthew and his party arrived in Harapa only that afternoon and hadn't seen a single Adept upon entering. True, Harapa was never known for their population of Adepts, but during their last travels through the city, they had seen at least a handful. Matthew and Karis had been told it was due to a combination of the pandemic and Kaocho. The disease swept over the majority of city's Adepts overnight, all of them being fatally ill. And for those that it didn't manage to contaminate – they had been taken by Kaocho officials to the Ouroboros.

"But why there?" Karis blurted aloud as the mayor had told her and Matthew gravely of the events that had happened only the day prior. "Don't they know that once they throw them in there they can never get out?"

The mayor's eyes met with Karis's violet ones briefly, before breaking away.

"I think that's their objective." he said wearily, continuing to stare straight ahead of them.

Karis looked down, lost in thought for a moment, not fully aware of what the mayor was trying to get at.

"How did you manage to keep the sick ones? Wouldn't they want to take them in as well so the disease won't spread? I mean, that's their objective after all." Matthew asked.

The Mayor bowed his head slightly.

"We had been keeping the sick Adepts down here in the basement, so it _wouldn't _spread." he explained. "And so, when Kaocho's men came here to collect all of our Adepts and they asked if this were all, we –er - failed to mention the sick ones that were being held down here."

Matthew nodded. "That was smart." he said.

"Otherwise they would've died." Karis said with a sigh. "I hope our psynergy can do some good."

"Oh, I hope so too!" The Mayor said wistfully, giving Karis a sideways glance. "Then we could prove to Kaocho that there's no need for this isolation that they've begun that's sweeping all over Angara. It's uncalled for, and is just a good excuse to be rid of the Adepts."

"Has the law passed all throughout Angara then?" Matthew asked him. "Is there really no place here that's safe?"

The Mayor shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. All of the countries leaders have signed the bill to pass the law, either by force or fear, or perhaps because they partly agreed with it. Kaocho never expressed what they were doing with the Adepts that they were rounding up, only that they'd isolate them from the general public until the disease died out."

"Wait a minute, did you say _all_ of the countries leaders in Angara signed this agreement?" Karis asked incredulously. "I seriously doubt that. What about Ayuthay's king? Isn't he an Adept himself? Why would he pass this law? He'd have to get thrown into isolation himself, wouldn't he?"

"Ayuthay's king is unreachable at the moment." The Mayor said quietly. "My understanding is that he didn't sign the agreement, but because he's an Adept, his signature was not required for the law to pass. A move well thought out on Kaocho's part, I'm sure. No, he's disappeared: no one knows where he is at the moment. Rumor has it that he passed through here almost a week ago… Considering Kaocho's soldiers were ripping this town apart searching for him, stating that he'd frozen two soldiers in a café before fleeing. Poor kid, wish I had known that he was here, I would've helped him."

"Did _you _sign the agreement?" Matthew asked him.

"No, I didn't have to." The Mayor explained, stopping at the foot of the stairs and taking a left turn down a short hall. "Only monarchs or political leaders of countries were made to sign the bill, a city like mine didn't have a voice in the matter."

"That just makes me sick." Karis said in disgust. "Who would do something like this?"

"Honestly? King Wo, that's who." Matthew growled under his breath, his hands clenched tightly into fists. This whole matter was getting pretty out of hand, and would only continue to get worse if someone didn't end up putting their foot down about it.

Karis wasn't sure why, but she kept finding her mind straying away to Amiti. It had been subconsciously during all of this, but she especially found it to be then. So he hadn't signed the bill after all. She knew that he couldn't have. If not for his sake, he wouldn't have done it so as to protect the other Adepts. Amiti was a pretty conscientious, caring person, and wouldn't want to bring about harm to other people like that, especially his friends… If he really considered them that. She wished that she knew for certain that he did, but to be honest, he never really said. He'd made references to them being "friends" but she wasn't sure if that really meant friends or more like "accomplices". She hadn't spoken to him much; there really hadn't been very much time to. To catch him one on one was always difficult, and whenever she did their conversations were always brief and seemed to remain on the surface. Out of all the members within their group, Karis could safely say she knew the least about Amiti, but Amiti also didn't seem to allow people to know him. He had remained rather closed off, and unattainable to catch one on one in a conversation – Or at least, in Karis's mind he seemed to do it intentionally, or perhaps it was only towards her.

Karis shook her head. She really didn't know the Water Adept well enough to pass judgment on him, but she felt as though while she were trying to open up and be friends, he chose to remain closed off and not allow her to. She felt maybe she was just reading too much into it, but it couldn't help but nag at her some.

"It's too bad that we missed him here in Harapa," Matthew said towards Karis. "He could've really helped us out while trying to hide away from Kaocho's idiots at the same time."

Karis didn't respond, but seemed to be in a distant world all of her own. Matthew frowned, giving Karis a slight nudge, causing her to give a start.

"Hmm?" she asked, her eyes glazed.

"Never mind." Matthew replied, shaking his head. "Just wanted to make sure that you're still with us."

Karis rolled her eyes, giving Matthew a playful smack.

"Of course I am! Where else would I be, Jupiter?" she asked sardonically.

Matthew shrugged, grinning at her.

"I guess that's a possibility." he said, smirking.

The Mayor looked over at them, a look of worry imprinted on his face.

"They're all inside this room." he told them. "Are – are you really sure about inspecting them? I'd hate for either of you to come down with it, as there's nothing that we know of that can be done for it yet."

Matthew nodded.

"It's worth it, if we can help these people. Then we can stop this pandemic for good and all of Kaocho's ridiculous new laws." he said firmly. Once Matthew made a decision, it always seemed to be final. He was very firm about his beliefs. Karis smiled inwardly to herself – she had always liked that about him.

The Mayor nodded, opening the door and allowing the two young Adepts in.

"The family in the left corner seems to be the worst." The Mayor said in a soft voice. "I'm afraid they don't have much longer - if we don't do something soon."

Matthew and Karis looked at each other, their gaze held the very same emotions – concern and a bit of fear. What if they didn't have the ability to heal these people? Karis was more skilled in the ways of healing than Matthew was, but even then her powers didn't match up anywhere near to those of a Mercury Adept when it came to healing. She remembered back during their travels when Rief had been injured. It had been a rather grave injury: a puncture wound that bore deep into his chest from the thrashing of a dragon. He was in no doubt terrible shape, and had he remained that way for much longer, Karis highly doubted that he'd still be with them to that day. She had been nearest to him when it first happened; Amiti and Matthew had still been fending off the dragon that had inflicted the terrible damage to Rief, so neither of them paid much attention to Rief and Karis falling short in the battle. She had concentrated all of her psynergy into healing him, but she had barely lifted the surface of the wound. She remembered her state of panic, thinking that Rief would die before her very eyes, without her being able to do a thing about it. It was only by fate that her and Amiti had happened to lock eyes after she had done everything that she could, and he could tell instantly by Karis's rigid stature, with all of the color drawn from her face and Rief laying before her that something was terribly wrong. He broke away and rushed over to them. Karis remembered being amazed by what he had done. Either Mercury Adepts were far better at healing than any other element, or Amiti was a very gifted, powerful Adept, but she remembered all it took was for Amiti to rest both palms against Rief's shoulders, and just as quickly as he had done so, shoving his Ply psynergy into him, Rief's wound mended instantly. After Amiti had finished, you couldn't even tell that Rief had been injured, save for the fact that he still remained weakened from his great loss of blood. Karis had turned to Amiti to thank him for coming, but he had already begun to rise, refusing to meet her eye as he turned back to help Matthew. Had he been ashamed of her inability to heal him? Did he think her useless? Karis really didn't know what had been running through his mind that day, nor what did then… It concerned her a great deal, perhaps more than it should have.

Her thoughts returned to the present as she felt Matthew grasp her hand beside her, leading her carefully into the room stricken with critically ill patients. Karis drew in a breath and followed.

There were probably around fourteen people in the room, each lying in their own cot. The room was warm and stuffy, and held a distinctive ill-smelling odor about it. Karis tried hard not to display a reaction from the smell, which proved to be quite hard as it stung her nose and made her eyes water. No one stirred when they entered. No one made a single sound. It seemed as though all the people were on the very verge of death itself – a sight that was quite frightening to both Matthew and Karis.

Matthew nodded towards the left corner of the room.

"The Mayor said we should try them first." he said, leading Karis through the mess of cots to the far left.

Karis merely nodded, observing the sick as they went. They all appeared to be on the brink of death - she wasn't sure why they would focus on those any one person in particular, for they all needed tending to, _immediately._

At last they reached the family that the Mayor had mentioned needing helped first, and once Karis saw them, she could see why.

It was a mother with her two small children. Neither of them stirred when Matthew and Karis approached them, they didn't look as though they had the strength to. Karis instinctively snatched up the hand of a small boy looking no older than five years old, looking down at him solemnly.

"This is terrible," Karis said softly, her eyes glazing over with tears.

She rubbed the back of the boy's small hand with her thumb as she brushed back the pale blonde bangs from his eyes with her free hand. She cringed inside, as she noticed how pale and cold he was, his breathing light and shallow. Karis bit her lip; she honestly didn't think her and Matthew had the power to help them.

Karis glanced over at Matthew, but if he noticed, he didn't glance her way. His eyebrows contorted into a frown, carefully studying the condition of the boy's seven year-old sister, who in Karis's opinion, looked no better off than her brother.

"Matthew, should we try to heal them now?" Karis whispered.

After a moment's pause, Matthew nodded, firmly grasping the girl's hand as he attempted to heal her. Karis did the same, grasping both of the boy's small hands in hers as she closed her eyes, pouring her psynergy into the boy with as much might as she could muster. She could sense it much greater than she had before – their condition was grave. Their minds slowly reclining, their muscles deteriorating, their psynergy drained beyond repair, their blood thickening to deadly… That seemed to only be the beginning, as Karis began to sense deeper and deeper into the injuries of the boy. She soon stopped; the realization of how bad off he was truly upsetting her.

She continued to pour her Healthy Wind healing psynergy into him, but as the minutes went by and she could feel the fatigue hitting her, it seemed to do the boy no good. After a few moments she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder, breaking her concentration momentarily from her healing.

"Stop," Matthew told her solemnly. "It's not doing anything but weakening you. It's not even affecting them."

Karis opened her eyes, drawing in a breath to examine the boy carefully. His appearance changed none from the time they had arrived. His skin still pale and cold to the touch, his unconsciousness still deep without disturbance. She threw a glance over at Matthew, who stood over her, his hand still resting on her shoulder. He had an odd look in his eye, one she hadn't seen since the days of the Eclipse. She had slowly been coming to the realization too, but hadn't wanted to accept it.

"But, we _have _to heal them, Matthew." Karis said desperately, avoiding his eyes directly. "Otherwise… they'll die."

Matthew let out a breath, one that he hadn't realized he was holding, as his grip slightly firmed on her shoulder.

"We can't, Karis. They're already too far gone." Matthew hesitated. "The girl died as I was trying to heal her, her brother couldn't be that much better off."

Karis let out a cry, running a hand through the boy's soft blonde hair. Although she knew Matthew was right, she didn't want to let herself believe it. Not just then, at any rate.

"Come on, then! We must try to help the others!" she said frantically, rushing up and heading off to another group of people.

There were many other random ones throughout the room. No families from what she could see, like the boy, girl and mother had been. She had seen some women, some men, a few teens and children – the room seemed to be filled with mostly children, which tore Karis's heart even more.

She went over to a young girl of about six, feeling her forehead and gauging her condition. She appeared to be slightly better than the boy had been, though not by a whole lot. Her skin too were pale, but not the sickening gray that the boy's had been.

Karis searched for her skin under her sleeve, grasping her wrist tightly as she began to attempt healing her, using as much force as she possibly could.

Matthew stood a short ways behind her, watching his friend sadly as Karis desperately tried to heal the poor victim of this terrible disease. He had already given up, he knew this was far out of their realm, even though they had managed to stop the eclipse and had gone about their tasks successfully.

Karis continued to focus and refocus her energy some more, attempting to heal the girl, although she could sense as she kept pouring her psynergy into her, it was doing no good. Not even a small amount. Karis fell to her knees, panting slightly as her world darkened and spun around her. She always felt that way after using great amounts of pysnergy so suddenly. Matthew went over to her, crouching down beside her as he rested his palms against her arms. Karis tried hard to fight back tears, swallowing a huge lump in her throat as her violet eyes met Matthew's, eyes that held the humiliation of defeat.

"Is there truly nothing…?" Karis began, but was grateful that she didn't have to finish as Matthew shook his head.

"No, Karis. We've done for them what we could. This is out of our realm."

"A Water Adept," Karis said suddenly. "We need one. They're so much better at healing than any other element of Adept is, I'm sure either Amiti or Rief could –"

"No, Karis." Matthew said, shaking his head. "This is out of their hands too. No one can stop this. This is far too great for any amount of psynergy to heal."

Karis drew in a shuddering breath, tucking stray strands of pale green hair behind her ear, not removing her eyes from Matthew's.

"What's causing this?" she whispered, perhaps softer than she had intended.

Matthew didn't respond right away, helping Karis to her feet as he too rose as well. Karis was still feeling a little lightheaded, but at least her vision wasn't growing dark anymore. She steadied herself using Matthew for support, her hands grasping his arms firmly.

"I wish I knew," Matthew said slowly, leading his friend out of the weave of cots towards the exit. "Until someone does, this is only going to continue to get worse."

"Do you suppose it's just going to keep going until it runs it course, or-?" Karis asked him, although she figured that Matthew's guess was probably just as good as hers was.

"I just don't know, Karis." Matthew said finally, as they climbed up the steps to the first floor of the cabin. "I just don't know."

Karis felt awful. Not from using so much psynergy as she had, but from seeing all of the poor sick people and knowing that all of them would die – there was simply nothing that could be done for them. If psynergy would be useless to try to heal them, would everything else be as well? These thoughts ran through Karis's mind constantly, and unfortunately like everything else that day, she felt that she knew the answer. Only, like everything else, she didn't want to admit it.

Matthew and Karis opened the trap door and stepped up into the main room of the cabin. The Mayor as well as Felix glanced over at them.

"Did it work?" The Mayor asked eagerly, making a start towards them as they slowly entered the room, both looking rather worn and fatigued.

Felix's expression darkened once meeting the eyes of his nephew, knowing instantly from the look in his eye that their attempts had been unsuccessful.

"We tried – Oh, we really tried but it didn't do any good! They're just as we left them!" Karis cried out, putting a hand to her mouth.

The Mayor flinched as though her words were a physical blow to his being, he then nodded gravely as he rested a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"You did what you could, that's all that matters." The Mayor soothed, leading her over to the table by the fireplace.

Felix made his way over to Matthew in long strides across the room, stopping only a few feet in front of him. Matthew met his eyes briefly, then looked down.

"How bad are they?" he asked him.

Matthew shook his head.

"It's awful." Matthew replied shortly. "They all look like they're just on the verge of death. There isn't anything that anyone can do for them. They're just… beyond repair."

"I see," Felix said after a long moment's pause.

Matthew then looked up to meet his uncle's eye.

"I'm scared, what if this is what happened to Dad and Garet? If they've had it for this long, they're probably dead by now."

Felix gripped Matthew's upper arm firmly, not removing his soft, hazel eyes from Matthew's blue ones.

"For some reason, Matthew, I just can't imagine that they got this." Felix said. "I'm not just saying that, either. I mean, they're just too… _Powerful_ to get something like this without a real fight. I'm not sure what I'm trying to get at exactly, but I seriously think your dad and Garet are fine, somewhere out there."

Felix glanced over at Karis and frowned.

"Which reminds me, that's why I came to get you." Felix said, turning back to Matthew. "We just got a letter, from Kraden."

Matthew's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're kidding, from Kraden?" Matthew asked him incredulously.

"Yep, we haven't opened it yet, we were waiting for you guys. I'm sure whatever he's got to say is going to be good news, so let's head on over to the inn and see."

Matthew nodded, then glanced over at Karis uncertainly. Felix looked in her direction as well, noticed Matthew's hesitation.

"Ah, young love…" Felix said with a smirk.

Matthew turned red in the face, glancing quickly over at Felix.

"No, it's not that!" Matthew said, perhaps too quickly. "It's just… she's so upset… I wish I could say something to comfort her."

"You can," his uncle said, still smirking. "Tell her that we got a letter from Kraden!"

Matthew offered his uncle a slight smile, already growing quite fond of him even though he had only known the man for the past five days. He slowly made his way over to Karis, pausing at the table until Karis looked up.

"Uncle Felix just said that we got a letter from Kraden, he wants us to come and open it." Matthew muttered quietly.

Karis's eyes lit up, and for a moment she seemed to return to her sparky, lively self.

"Really? He got back with us already?" Karis exclaimed, jumping up from her seat, causing Matthew to take a step back, unsure of his friend's new enthusiasm.

"Erm, yeah… He did." Matthew said slowly. "Want to come back to the inn and come read it?"

Karis nodded.

"Yes, let's go."

Before they left, Matthew and Karis gave their apologies once more to the Mayor, and as before, the Mayor thanked them for at least trying.

"It was the least we could do." Matthew had said, following Felix and Karis from the cabin and into the sparkling city.

Matthew wrapped his arms around himself, wishing he had brought a warmer jacket. The weather had already started to change in these parts of Angara, and it was beginning to grow quite cold. It was only the middle of autumn. Matthew had remembered just the year before when he and his dad had traveled through there that Harapa was hardly affected by the change in seasons. He figured it must've had something to do with the alchemy forge being started up.

They trekked into the inn. Felix being the last one to enter, letting the door slam shut behind him carelessly. One thing that Matthew had picked up about his uncle during the brief time he'd known him was that he was quite different from Jenna and his father, and wondered if this was partly why he and Isaac could never get along – his father was well respectable and considerate, while Felix tended to lack manners. Whether this was only because it were just them and they were all close friends and family, or he was just that way to everyone, Matthew had a hard time trying to decipher which it was.

Matthew opened the door to his room that he and his mother shared, allowing Karis and Felix to follow him. As they entered they saw Sheba and Jenna sitting on the bench, their backs turned to them as they spoke very softly. Apparently they hadn't noticed them enter as their conversation went un-phased.

"Are you sure…?" Jenna asked Sheba uncertainly. "Really, Sheba, you should tell Felix. He deserves to know."

Sheba shook her head frantically, and with the way her shoulders shrugged, Matthew wondered if she could've possibly been crying.

"No, Jenna, I can't do that." she said thickly. "Felix is already going through enough trouble and worry right now, I can't trouble him with this. It'd be… too much."

Jenna paused thoughtfully. "No, he'd want to know. I know my brother. He won't flip his lid… I don't think." she paused, then added. "Besides, he's going to find out eventually anyway. Wouldn't it be nicer that you told him rather than he finding out for himself in a few months?"

Sheba began to open her mouth to speak, but Matthew, noticing Karis approaching him from behind with Felix closely behind her, cleared his throat, causing both Jenna and Sheba to give a start. He didn't know what was going on between Felix and Sheba, but he felt that this wasn't the time or place for Felix to find out about it, whatever it was the Sheba was trying to hide from him.

Sheba threw a worried glance in Felix's direction, but gauging by the nonchalance in his demeanor, she figured that he probably hadn't overheard. Matthew didn't fail to notice that she _had _been crying, as her eyes were still slightly red and glassy. Jenna leapt up from her seat, making her way over to them.

"Ah, Matthew. Karis. How did it go? Did you get them up and at 'em again?" she asked enthusiastically.

Matthew and Karis both exchanged dark glances, not wishing to rehash the memory of it all. Jenna, seeming to understand, nodded.

"Ah, that's too bad. I figured just as much though. Some Adepts have caught it in Imil, and with Mia living there, well, I figured that she must've at least attempted to heal them without any success, otherwise the news would spread everywhere that there was a cure for this pandemic."

She rubbed her wrist, looking around them as though someone were missing.

"Where's Tyrell and Ivan?" she asked Felix.

Felix closed his eyes, slamming his palm against his forehead.

"That's what I was supposed to do. I knew I was forgetting something. Wait here, I'll go get them."

With that, he left, slamming the door shut behind them, which in result caused the room to shudder.

Jenna sighed, plopping back down on the bench as she turned to Sheba.

"My brother certainly hasn't changed." she said with a laugh.

Sheba chuckled softly, meeting Jenna's gaze hesitantly.

"He sure hasn't." Sheba replied softly.

"I was sure hoping that he would, he needed to grow up!" exclaimed Jenna.

Matthew had opened his mouth, about to ask Jenna if everything was alright having heard what he did, when he heard heavy footsteps fall outside their room, recognizing them instantly to be Tyrell's. He could walk softer if he wanted to, but that was just Tyrell – he plainly didn't care.

The door burst open, and in came Tyrell, followed shortly by Ivan and Felix.

"There you guys are. Took you long enough." Tyrell said, stretching. "How did it go? Any success?"

"None," Karis replied shortly, and by the odd sharpness in her tone, Tyrell chose not to press it farther.

Ivan and Felix's conversation fell short as Ivan approached Matthew, holding out a small envelope in his hand.

"Here, Matthew. It was addressed to you, probably since you lead the last group on their adventure." Ivan told him. "We thought we'd let you open it."

Matthew smiled in thanks to Ivan, and carefully opened the envelope, taking caution so as not to rip it. Karis and Tyrell leaned in over Matthew's shoulders, hoping to get a glimpse of it before he did. Matthew took the letter from its envelope, which happened to be no more than a bit of scrap paper and a short paragraph, yet he read it aloud anyway.

"Dear Matthew," Matthew read aloud. "I am most terribly sorry to hear that your father has gone missing. Meet me in Passaj on Monday night at the Alchemy Forge, we'll discuss what to do there. I think I may know what has happened to them. Kraden."

He finished, looking up at them expectantly.

"This is… weird." Matthew said at last.

Felix raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked him. "He just said he wants us to meet him in Passaj. That's good, isn't it?"

"No," Matthew said slowly. "What's weird is, Karis never mentioned that my father had gone missing in the letter. She never described anything, but remained very vague."

Matthew glanced back at the letter, studying it carefully.

"Besides, this doesn't look like Kraden's handwriting, either."

"It might be Rief's." Karis said, glancing back at it. "But it is odd that he'd mention Isaac and Garet missing. How would he know?"

"Maybe he heard it through the grapevine." Tyrell said. "I mean, it's not like Isaac and my dad aren't known people. If they've gone missing, I'm sure loads of people know it by now. It's not strange that it traveled all the way to Kraden."

"I guess not." Matthew said dismally, not fully convinced.

Felix clapped his hands together, breaking up the debate between the three.

"Okay, then. I believe we have our heading." He announced. "Tomorrow morning, we'll set out to Passaj! Sound good?"

The members of the group all nodded in agreement. They didn't know how much good it would be to speak with Kraden, but they figured it was at least a start.

So far, they were making progress… Or so it seemed.

**Author's Note:**

I'm having a lot of fun trying to write up the relationship between Felix and Matthew. I had always admired the way that Harry and Sirius from Harry Potter had gotten along and wanted to sort of portray that sort of relationship between Matthew and Felix. Felix is almost fatherly, yet he could sometimes help encourage adventure and trouble whereas it would've been wisest to avoid it. Anyway, hope I'm not failing entirely at that.

Hope you're all enjoying the story so far! As always, please read and review :) Reviews help me wonders, you've no idea!

A big thank you for reading up to this point!


	13. Captured

Chapter XIII:

"Hmm, it's nothing like I've ever seen before." Amiti muttered, tracing a finger along the intricately designed star chart. "It's definitely ancient, though. And not like any sort of chart that I'm familiar with."

Alex stood over him, curiosity spreading over his expression as he watched his son observe the star chart that he had been trying to figure out for years, as he wondered what Amiti's intake on it would be. Being King of Ayuthay, Alex figured that he had seen many ancient scripts and tablets and the like, so the fleeting thought that perhaps he'd know how to translate it crossed his mind and figured it wouldn't hurt to find out.

Amiti flipped it over carefully, for in fear of the paper just falling apart in his hands. He could tell it was definitely old, and the texture was like nothing he had ever felt: it seemed to be a combination of paper and sand rather than actual paper. He thought it wouldn't take an awful lot to leave an imprint upon its surface, which he feared he might be doing by merely holding it.

"It's more than just mere paper, that much I can tell." Amiti said finally as he set the chart down on his lap. "It's sort of an odd substance, really. What is it supposed to be?"

Alex threw his hair over his shoulder, removing the chart from Amiti's lap.

"I'm not altogether certain, but I believe it's the key to finding the Psynergy Well." Alex replied, rolling it back up and binding it carefully. "It's an ancient treasure and it took me a long time to acquire it, so I believe there must be some importance in it."

Amiti rubbed his temple, frowning.

"You know, the patterns on it seem familiar to me." he said, staring long and hard into the distance as he recalled what he had seen. "May I see it again?"

Alex unbound it and handed it over to him. Amiti unrolled it, and again studied its pattern.

Imprinted in large patterns were the shape of a half moon and a sun; he could feel the indent of the two shapes in the paper while running a hand across it. There were also dots the size of pinheads all throughout the chart, with lines connecting them, forming odd shapes that, to Amiti meant nothing. He thought that it was clearly a well thought out puzzle by whoever sealed away the Psynergy Well to begin with, and wondered if anyone would have the knowledge of how to use it.

"Kraden would know," Amiti said absentmindedly, running his hand along the imprints in the chart. "Have you tried asking him?"

Alex laughed upon his suggestion. "Me? Ask Kraden? And how do you think that would fly? I thought you had gathered this back at Apollo Sanctum: Kraden and I don't exactly hit it off."

"He doesn't hate you though, either." Amiti interjected. "He never spoke ill of you during our quest. In fact, he had thought you were actually trying to help us, in your own way."

Alex remained silent, as he strode over to the chair at the desk and sat down. Kraden wasn't a fool; there was no way that he was simply going to tell him about the chart if he asked, if Kraden even knew anything about it to begin with. But considering Kraden was Kraden… it was quite likely that he did.

"That was… generous of him." Alex said slowly, and then paused dramatically. "But I would have no idea how to find him even if we chose to ask him."

"Hmm," Amiti muttered, closing his eyes. "That _is _a difficult question. Kraden could be anywhere. Last I saw him he was heading off to go traveling with Rief, but Rief was choosing where they would head next, not Kraden."

"Did he ever mention where he'd be going next?" Alex asked hopefully.

Amiti shook his head, his aqua bangs falling gently into his face.

"No, he didn't. But considering we went all over Weyard back when we traveled together… I doubt he'd repeat any of the same places."

"They might've gone to Imil." Alex said aloud, more to himself than to Amiti. "Rief's mother lives there, and I could imagine that he'd want to check on her after the Eclipse hit."

Amiti hesitated. With the way that Rief hadn't even mentioned his mother once on their trip, he sort of doubted that he was all that concerned for her safety.

"I think he knows that his mother can fend for herself." Amiti replied. "I'm sort of wondering if they left Angara."

Alex tilted his head. "Interesting theory, where to then?"

"I don't really know," Amiti said, rocking back and forth slightly. "But I know Rief did mention wanting to see the Gondowan region."

"He's crazy." Alex stated, distinctly remembering passing through the Gondowan land and being held as prisoner at the mountains. He hadn't been particularly too thrilled with that, especially after having to wait there for several days before finally persuading their leader to let him go. "Why would Rief even dream of going there?"

Amiti shrugged. "I guess because it's a place that he hasn't been to yet."

"Yes, but still…"

"Perhaps because some of the historical sites that it possesses? Such as Magma rock, possibly?" Amiti suggested precariously.

Alex froze. Magma Rock: a place that he hadn't heard of since back in his days while venturing for the Golden Sun. It never occurred to him that perhaps the mountain would hold more than simply what met the eye.

Perhaps it held the final piece to unlocking the Psynergy Well.

It was one place that he still hadn't looked yet, and figured it was worth a shot.

"You know, you may have something about this Magma Rock…" said Alex slowly, opening his desk drawer and going through its contents as he searched for a map.

Amiti looked up at him curiously.

"Do you suppose they could be there as well?"

"No," Alex replied, pulling out a map and spreading it across the desk. "I mean, well they _might _be there. But I'm beginning to wonder if something else isn't also there as well."

"Do you mean the Sol Stone?" Amiti asked, eyes widening.

"Exactly."

"But why there?"

"I've figured that it must be somewhere that holds significance." Alex replied, turning around to meet his eye. "And a place that's connected to fire, or the sun. My first thoughts were Prox, but I came out empty handed. I've searched around all of the lighthouses and found nothing. I've searched Ayuthay and the Alchemy Well, Passaj and the Alchemy Forge. I hadn't searched the Luna Tower thoroughly simply because I didn't have enough time to – and I really hope it isn't there; that would just ruin things for me. But I'm starting to wonder about Magma Rock. It's an interesting concept, and it all makes sense that it would be there."

"There must be some easier way to find the stone rather than searching every nook and cranny." Amiti muttered, tracing a finger absentmindedly across the quilted bedspread. "We'll be searching forever at this rate. Perhaps this chart says how to find the other stone somehow, we just need to figure out how to use it?"

Alex let out a sigh of impatience.

"Then do you have any suggestions as to how we find out how to use it? We're running out of time, Amiti. More and more Adepts are falling ill, Kaocho's becoming more steadfast about capturing all of the remaining Adepts out there, and Kraden has seemed to vanish off the face of the planet. If you have any suggestions as far as figuring out this chart, please tell me; for I'm out of them." he sneered, in a tone that Amiti had yet to hear being addressed to him.

Amiti's gaze met the floor, slightly offended by Alex's brash tone.

"I have – none." he replied solemnly, not removing his gaze from the floor. "It just seems as though the route we're taking is impossible; the Adepts will all be dead by the time we figure out how to find the Psynergy Well."

Alex let out a sigh, glancing down at his map. There was Gondowan, directly at the border closest to Madra. He didn't really want to travel all the way there if he could help it: it would without a doubt be an exhausting journey, and he'd be more than frustrated if he came out of Magma Rock empty handed. He knew that Amiti was right – they needed to just figure out how to work the chart, but quite miserably for Alex, he was entirely out of ideas. He had never felt more defeated.

Amiti finally broke the prolonged silence.

"Are you really sure that… This _creature _is what's causing this disease?"

"Absolutely."

"But how?"

"I have my theories." Alex said, rubbing his forearm. "First off, I find it intriguing that the disease is only attacking those who possess psynergy, while it is psynergy that the creature, more properly known as Magnos, feeds off of to survive."

"So you mean… it must be draining people's psynergy then." Amiti said slowly. "And that is why they're falling ill."

"That, yes, is what I have come to the conclusion of."

"Is that why the vortexes?"

"I believe so. To my knowledge, the substance in which the Psynergy Well is lined with is the same as that of the vortexes. I believe that the vortexes that we see drain psynergy from our world, and then return them to the well, where Magnos absorbs the energy. To be honest, it's not only we Adepts that have something to fear, but all the other humans as well. For once it gains enough energy, Magnos will be able to break free of its binds and – well, pretty much take over Weyard."

"Do you think that was the _real _reason why the Ancients sealed away Alchemy? Was to prevent _that _evil from setting across Weyard?" Amiti asked, realization of the whole story finally starting to sink in.

"Now, that's something you need to take up with Kraden." Alex said with a wry grin. "I haven't thought that far into it. What bothers me is Magnos has been feeding off of psynergy for almost 30 years now, it won't be much longer until it has the strength it needs to break away."

"What binds it? Do you know?"

"No,"

"What sort of a creature is it?"

"Do I appear as if I've ever seen it before, Amiti?" Alex asked drearily, as though Amiti were an annoying child asking ridiculous questions that Alex had no hope of answering. "I have no idea. Like I said: ask Kraden once we find him. He'll have a blast discussing it all with you, I'm sure."

Amiti tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, studying the back of his father as he spun back around to face his desk.

"I've always heard that you prefer to travel solo." Amiti said quietly.

"Generally," Alex replied casually, not fully paying attention to him at this point.

"Will I simply be a burden to you if I accompany you?"

"No, I've never said that." Alex turned around to face Amiti once more, turquoise eyes meeting with emerald ones. "I merely just want you to stop asking me such questions. I'm really making all of this up as I go along. I just need to come to a conclusion on what the best course of action is now… We could go to Magma Rock –"

"-And waste a huge amount of time." Amiti broke in, sighing. "What if it isn't there? Won't our trip seem entirely insignificant?"

Alex opened his mouth to retort when a knock sounded at his door. Amiti nearly jumped; he'd been easily startled the past week since he had left Ayuthay, and was rather used to the feeling of possibly being ambushed at any given moment. Alex raised a hand to stop Amiti from rising.

"Who is it?" Alex called out casually, and Amiti could tell by his expression that he remained unconcerned. But then again, _he _hadn't been chased around for the past week.

"It's Mr. Reynolds, the inn keeper." the aged voice of a man called behind the door. "May I have a word?"

Amiti glanced up towards Alex, awaiting his cue. Alex, however, got up and strode over to the door, shaking back his long aqua hair as he did so.

He opened it, and Amiti could tell from the door being ajar that a man stood in the doorframe, but something about his posture was not quite right… Then he realized…

"I'm sorry," the inn keeper said, moving so as fully come into view, revealing a sword held high at his throat: it's owner being none other than two Kaocho officials. "They left me no choice. I had to turn you in."

"Turn me in?" Alex repeated, frowning at the two Kaocho soldiers. "I don't recall doing anything in Kaocho recently. What can I do for you boys?"

The Kaocho troops unsheathed their swords, pointing them in Alex's general direction.

"We need you to come with us, Adept." the soldier growled. "And that one, too."

Alex glanced back towards Amiti, and then swiftly turned around to face the soldiers once more. Amiti was rather grateful that Alex had been there to negotiate with them – he seemed so much more assured of himself and calm in situations such as these.

"Come? With you? Where?" Alex asked darkly.

"It seems as though you have an appointment with the Ouroboros." The second soldier said with a grin. "Come with us now, and we will do you no harm."

"Hmm," Alex said, rubbing his chin as he pretended to think about it. "The Ouroboros, eh? It's been some time since I've been there. Didn't like it too much, wouldn't really fancy going back. Tell you what: since you don't really know who you're messing with, I'll let you go back _now _and I will do _you _no harm. If you resist, then I'll simply have to…" he allowed his words to trail off dramatically, and Amiti figured that Alex wasn't just bluffing either.

"No, no threats." the first one said, tightening his grasp around his sword. "Come with us now, or the inn keeper dies."

Alex looked over at the innkeeper with a dull expression, as he then met eyes with the Kaocho soldier once more.

"I don't care, go right on ahead. I'm not leaving with you." Alex replied coolly. "And if you don't leave my room right now –"

The first of the two soldiers charged towards Alex, blade fully extended and aimed directly at Alex's chest. Just as the tip of the blade reached his outer cloak, however, Alex vanished into thin air, reappearing only a foot behind the Kaocho soldier, stabbing him in the back with his sword. The soldier's sword flew across the room, as the soldier himself fell flat on the floor, a dark crimson puddle accumulating around him.

"So you see," Alex said gleefully, as though he were thoroughly enjoying this. "I really don't think you should tangle with me. Leave now, and I will be merciful and spare you."

The remaining soldier that hadn't been restraining the inn keeper strode forward towards Alex, seeming to remain quite calm after what Alex had done to his comrade.

"Yes, I see that your little magic tricks got you far." he sneered. "But what do you suppose you'd do without them? Could you still hold your own in a fight, I wonder?"

In an instant, the soldier threw something into the center of the room, swallowing the entire room in a dark cloud of smoke. Amiti held his breath and threw his arm across his face, attempting to shield himself from the smoke which engulfed the room as it stung his eyes, and with each inhale he could feel it pierce his lungs as well. His body started tingling oddly, as a strange fatigue hit him, seizing every muscle and every joint. He even thought his own mind was growing a bit hazy. He then remembered this sensation. He had felt this once before: once when battling Tuaparang soldiers…

"A psy grenade." Amiti choked, barely opening an eye to observe the scene.

The Kaocho soldier stood before them, grinning from ear to ear, a look of triumph written cleanly upon his face. As the smoke began to die down further, Amiti could see the outlines of his father, as well as more than just the two Kaocho soldiers that stood in the doorway when they had first come; now there had to be at least ten of them.

"You tried to escape us, my young king," the soldier who threw the grenade said, striding over to Amiti purposefully. "And _almost _succeeded, mind you. It was because of you that I thought of the psy grenade. After you froze my comrades to death, I realized that in order to ensure your capture, we would need to devoid you of your psynergy. So, being an Adept isn't entirely all-powerful, all superior, is it? You still are human, Amiti, regardless of what you believe yourself to be."

"I never denied it." Amiti replied, hate and rage suddenly filling his whole body as he fought the ill feeling he was receiving from his sudden drain of psynergy. "At least _I _am human, whereas your people are far from it."

The soldier gritted his teeth, drawing his sword high above Amiti's head, wanting to kill him then and there, but then thought better of it.

"No, I have been told to bring you in alive." the soldier said dismally. "But soon you'll be getting exactly as you deserve, your royal –"

The soldier was unable to finish his line of sarcasm, as the blade of a sword pierced clean through him. Alex stood behind him, his eyes narrowed.

"You think that you have us, but you're wrong." Alex said, turning to face the remaining of the soldiers. "Until you disarm me, you have yet to declare our capture."

Amiti partly thought his father was mad. There were too many of them. Although Amiti fought fairly well with a sword, and Alex was probably better still, Kaocho was known for having the finest swordsmen within all of Angara - and possibly the world. Challenging them one on one would be a struggle enough, and still they would possibly lose, but fighting two against ten… The thought to Amiti was ludicrous, yet he admired Alex's bravery. He too did not want to surrender without a fight; he had too much at stake to do that. Amiti withdrew his sword, grasping it firmly with his right hand, facing the Kaocho soldiers with a very determined expression.

"You are quite foolish," one of the Kaocho soldiers said from the doorway, taking a step forward into the room. "But you're on."

The fight begun without a moment's delay: leaving the Adepts no time to collect themselves or prepare a strategy. It was one of the strangest battles that Amiti had ever been in. Without having a direct target in mind, he mainly focused on trying to block all blows being made at him at once and simply tried hard not to get stabbed. He hadn't even contemplated attempting to strike at them. After only a few moments of the bizarre battle, Amiti decided that Alex indeed _was _mad. There was no way they could win this, but then Amiti thought he'd rather die trying than go willingly with the enemy, which would only result in dying anyway - or at least, he wished to feel that way. No one wanted to die, but he'd at least come to terms with it. He was sort of forced to during his quest with the other Adepts to end the Eclipse. For pretty much most of their journey, they had been on death's doorstep.

Alex fought viciously. Until then, Amiti hadn't even known that Alex knew how to use a sword. He had taken down several of the soldiers with deceitful moves, but still had his hands quite full with the soldiers that still remained. Alex's eyes darted towards the doorway and scowled. More soldiers began to infiltrate the room and join in on the fight. _How many soldiers did they have on duty to round up Adepts anyway, _Alex thought furiously to himself. He then glanced towards Amiti as two more rounded up on the younger Mercury Adept. Amiti could barely hold his own with the two soldiers that he had been fighting already, but when three more joined him, Alex highly doubted that Amiti would be able to keep up much longer.

Alex felt a tingling sensation in his fingertips, which then shot up his arm. His psynergy was returning, yet slowly. If he used what he had then on the soldiers surrounding him, it wouldn't be enough to freeze them entirely and wouldn't stop them all that much. Overall, it wouldn't have been worth it. But if he just had enough to…

Alex broke away from the fight as he leapt across the room, seizing his satchel with one hand and grasping Amiti's upper arm tightly with the other.

"What are you –" Amiti asked, until Alex cut him off.

"Hold on." was all that he replied.

Amiti soon knew why, as he felt a sudden jarring motion; the world seeming to dissolve around them before his very eyes. He heard the sound of rushing wind screeching in his ears, and the pressure building in his head made him feel as though it would soon split. They were floating, that much he could gather, and hadn't realized until they hit the ground that they had been traveling very, _very _fast.

Alex had teleported them.

Amiti hit the cool grass outside, and for a moment thought he were going to be sick. As the cool, autumn wind brushed his face and swept his hair playfully, he had regained his strength some, as he forced himself to sit upright.

"You alright?" Alex asked, offering Amiti a hand as he stood before him, seeming entirely unfazed by their travel through light speed.

"Y-yes," Amiti replied weakly, taking the hand that Alex offered him. "But I thought you were out of psynergy."

"I was," Alex replied, pulling Amiti to his feet swiftly. "I had only just begun to rejuvenate it and thought it was pointless sticking around trying to fight them when we could leave. However, because my psynergy was so weak, I could not go far. We are less than a mile from the Inn."

Once Amiti regained himself more thoroughly, he offered his father a grin.

"You'll have to teach me how to do that some time." he said, although he honestly wasn't sure _even_ if he had the capability that he ever would want to learn how to teleport. He'd have to get over the motion sickness of it eventually, that was for sure.

Alex managed to return the smile.

"Some other time," he said, tilting his head slightly, his turquoise eyes twinkling with something that Amiti had never seen in them before, although due to the darkness, he failed to determine what that something might've been. "But for now we must flee, _quickly_."

Amiti nodded, reaching for his Verdant Sword, which lay only a few feet away from him.

The two moved briskly down the darkened streets of Tolbi, only now they wouldn't be darkened for much longer. Amiti wasn't entirely certain on the time, but knew it had to be only an hour or two away from dawn.

The exit was not too far off from them now. Amiti's heart pounded up into his throat; their escape had been such a narrow one, and had he not been with Alex and his ability to teleport, it wouldn't have been one at all.

As they came closer and closer to Tolbi's exit, dark shadows began to immerge from behind buildings and around trees. Amiti didn't have to study them long before coming to the realization that they were more Kaocho soldiers. Apparently, their choice of town for rounding up Adepts happened to be Tolbi at the moment, and naturally, Amiti had to be there when they did it. He really seemed to know how to be at the right place at the right time these days.

Before Amiti or Alex could react, Kaocho soldiers surrounded them from every angle. Some of them had jumped down from roofs, while others apparently had been awaiting their arrival.

One of the soldiers before them extended his sword.

"Surrender. Now." he said lowly, bringing his sword up to Alex's chin.

And before Amiti could think to do or say anything, he felt something hard and heavy come crashing down on his head. His vision blackened, the sounds surrounding him all faded into the distance, as he fell to the ground, meeting the grass abruptly for the second time that night.

**Author's Note:**

Ahh this chapter was challenging to write! I had a hard time trying to figure out if I wanted them caught now or later, but felt now would be most appropriate :)

And yes, eventually the group will all be together and I won't be dividing chapters up this way, you'll see!

I might be wrong, but I think that the psy grenades are actual items that you can acquire in the game that drain psynergy from a foe, correct? It's been awhile since I've played it, and frankly I hardly ever pay any attention to the items that I receive. Whenever I need something I refer to my psynergy.

Anyway, if you could leave a review and let me know what you thought, I'd be so grateful. Hope the story isn't getting too "lame". The middle of a story is always quite challenging to write! I so badly just want to jump to the end, but for the sake of the story, I'm resisting that temptation ;P

Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying the story thus far!

**Puff Pastry Breadbug:** Thank you so much for all of your reviews! It really means a ton :) And yes, I sort of knew that Weyard was flat and half-caught myself when writing that statement, but in order for Weyard to have a center, it would need to be round SO… I'm improvising a bit ;) Said I was going to keep it as close to the real Golden Sun as possible, but for this entire fanfic to work, I had to change that tiny fact and figured it didn't ***really* **hurt it all that much. Thanks for pointing that out though!

Regarding adding the Anemos in… Besides Sheba and Ivan? Probably not. I wouldn't really know where to fit them in unless perhaps you had a suggestion…

Won't make any comments to your guesses so as not to spoil the story, but regarding Sveta and Eoleo… Both will play roles, just not yet. Sveta's probably my second favorite character in Dark Dawn, so of course she would have to be in it! I had originally wanted to add an Amiti/Sveta pairing instead of Karis, but, eh, couldn't get it to work quite right *sheepish grin*. Can't get past the claws!


	14. Legend of the Psynergy Well

Chapter XIV

Familiarity surrounded him, but that was all he could gather from it. All of the gardens that surrounded him looked and felt familiar, yet he couldn't place why. The building which stood at his left seemed as though it had always been there, as well as the woman with long dark curls, who remained with her back turned to him, busily poking through the flower beds of the garden. It seemed as though he had always known her, yet he had never met her in his life.

The warm sunshine glistened against his aqua blue hair and beat down on his shoulders, yet it didn't blind him as the direct light normally always did. It seemed as though it were lighting the path for him – leading him in a direction that he could not find otherwise. The wind swept his hair gently as he stood there, just contemplating the scene around him. As he stood there, he had forgotten the pandemic that plagued their world. He'd forgotten his furious escape from Ayuthay - and the painful fact that at this point it was probably no longer even under his rule. He'd forgotten about his meeting with Alex, and about the secrets of the Psynergy Well. He'd forgotten how or why he even ended up here in the first place… If he could even begin to realize where this place was at all.

For just one bliss moment, all his agony remained forgotten. All the pressing matters of the world dropped, as he stood there on this clear, sunshine day in the garden, absentmindedly watching the woman from where he stood. He didn't know where he was, nor did he care. All Amiti cared about was for the first time in what seemed like ages, he felt relieved.

The woman turned her head slightly, her eye meeting Amiti's sharply. He felt his face grow hot under the glare of the sunlight and her gaze as he turned away quickly - he hadn't meant to be staring.

"Forgive me," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to be watching you."

The young woman smiled, her dark soft curls falling gently over her shoulders as she remained in her bent down position.

"It's fine," she said, and Amiti could tell by her tone that she wasn't just saying it either. In an odd sort of way, Amiti felt as though she actually enjoyed his presence. "Where did you come from?"

"Me?" Amiti asked, glancing around the place frantically, realizing for the first time that he simply had no idea how he had stumbled about the woman's garden. "I, umm…"

"I see," she said with a pause. She then stood up, brushing long locks of curly brown hair from her face as she made her way over towards him. "So you're just visiting, then."

"I – suppose." Amiti replied awkwardly, unsure of how to best respond to that statement, and then added dully to break up the awkward silence. "It's very nice here."

"Yes, they all say that," the woman said with a laugh, but it was a soft, warm one that sent pleasant vibes through Amiti, not one that would leave your hair standing on end. "But I don't think you're going to be here long, Amiti. You're too young to stay here."

"How do you know my name?" Amiti asked her dazedly, still being unable to fully comprehend his surroundings, as though dimensions separated him and his mind. "And how do you know that I will not stay here for long? I might stay forever. It's better than where I came from."

The woman offered him a knowing smile, and kissed his cheek.

"Because I know my little boy," she whispered softly in his ear. "And I know he has a kingdom to return to. He wouldn't leave it to be taken by cruel, heartless people."

"I'm certain that I don't know what you're talking about," said Amiti, now feeling slightly dizzy, partly from him finally beginning to feel as though he didn't belong there, and partly because the woman's cheek was brushing against his own. "I have no kingdom."

The woman giggled, grasping his shoulders firmly as she looked him in the eye, her emerald green eyes the same as his own.

"Okay, then. Who are you? If you're not my little boy and are not the young King of Ayuthay?"

"Truthfully?" Amiti asked, his eyes filled with uncertainty, as the woman's remained calm, yet firm. "I'm a coward who keeps hiding away from everything that I should try to protect, destroying everything that I touch. I'm the bastard son of an evil manipulator and a princess - a princess who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I am just making all matters worse. I'm now an orphan left with a kingdom that I cannot hope to ever manage, and I have probably managed the shortest rule ever."

The woman didn't smile at his words, but squeezed his shoulders tighter as her green eyes darkened with something Amiti couldn't exactly decipher, but assumed it likely to be sadness.

"Is that what you really think of yourself?" she asked him solemnly. "Because none of that is even true. And if you do believe that, then you need to get a new evaluation of yourself, because you need to start realizing how important you are."

"The only importance I have," Amiti began bitterly. "Is the fact that the blood of the royal family of the Exathi runs through my veins. I am their last living heir, otherwise, everyone couldn't care less about me."

"No, that's not true," said the woman as she shook her head violently, allowing dark curls to fall over her face. Amiti found himself having a sudden urge to remove them for her, but fought it. "There are many people that care much about you."

"I don't believe so, they would be foolish to."

"Your uncle cared about you with all of his heart," she said, staring unblinkingly into Amiti's eyes with much seriousness. "He truly thought of you as his very own son. He'd be very pained to hear you speaking these words."

Amiti remained silent as he remembered, for the first time in the garden, that he had an uncle.

"Your father cares," the woman continued. "Although he may have an odd way of showing it, don't give up on him. I'm sure he'll come around. He came around for me, and I don't doubt that he will for you."

"Perhaps."

"Lastly, but most importantly, what about your friends? Do you deny all of them?"

"I – don't think they will accept me anymore," Amiti replied slowly, remembering his friends at long last, as they too seemed to be something of another life.

"Well, why ever not?"

"Because they hate Alex, and he is my father."

"That's no reason to hate you," the woman replied calmly. "I'm sure they'll see past it. You'll see."

Amiti opened his mouth to retort but found that he couldn't. He had nothing to say. The woman, seeming to understand, gave him another of her warm smiles and put a finger to his lips.

"It's alright," she said, still smiling. "I understand. Now,"

She glanced back behind Amiti, over the hill and way out into the distance.

"When you look in front of you, what do you see, Amiti?"

He hesitated, as though wondering if this were supposed to be a trick question, then answered mildly: "…A garden?"

The young woman nodded, and then pointed over Amiti's shoulder.

"And what about back there?"

Amiti turned, and would've jumped out of surprise if his emotions were more intact. Behind him appeared to be bleak nothingness, only a sheet of white.

"I – I – don't know." he replied sheepishly, as he then turned his gaze back to the young woman, who seemed to be not much older than himself.

She smiled. "That means you need to go back, Amiti. There is no place for you here. The time has come: Ayuthay and all of your friends need you."

"Need… me?"

She nodded. "Yes, you! Thank you for coming to visit me, Amiti. I'm very certain that we'll meet again, when the time is right."

Amiti frowned, studying the woman more carefully. She was not horribly short, yet not tall either. Her long dark curls fell far down her back, and her green eyes held the same expressions as Amiti's had. He felt as though he knew her from somewhere, yet his mind still couldn't place it.

"Do I – know you?" he asked, feeling stupid immediately after he had done so.

She laughed, kissing his forehead.

"In your dreams." she said, and with her being so close, Amiti noticed her eyes glassing over with tears. "Good-bye now, my dear Amiti."

His mind seemed clouded, his memories returning to him slowly as the bliss feeling of the garden dissipated. No longer did he feel serene, nor did he experience the happy, airy feeling as he had before. He remembered who he was, and what duties he was left with.

Ayuthay did need him, and as long as he could fight for it, he would.

The light within the garden seemed to strengthen immensely, blinding him as he fought to keep the light out of his eyes. He felt the odd motion as though he were floating, drifting off to some distant land, as the woman's voice continued to echo his name through his mind.

"Amiti,"

"Amiti…"

"Amiti!"

As though falling abruptly to the ground, Amiti jumped awake; his heart pounded in his chest, as his head throbbed beyond reason. The garden now seemed vague and distant, with all his thoughts being entirely focused in on the present. The bliss, foggy feeling that Amiti had experienced in the garden remained long gone, as he was hit rather painfully with reality as his body awakened to all the harsh things that reality brought you.

He looked up. A darkened forest had replaced the bliss garden, with trees surrounding him from every angle, blocking out any source of light to be had from the twilight sky above. Over his head he saw a middle-aged woman watching him concernedly, her hands rested in his hair against his scalp. He had definitely never recalled seeing her before. She was certainly nothing like the woman in the garden. Her eyes were a familiar turquoise, and her long aqua hair was swept high in a ponytail. Amiti slowly struggled to sit up, but a man rushed over to him from what seemed out of nowhere, preventing him from rising.

"Easy now, don't get up just yet." the man said, in a thick accent that Amiti wasn't familiar with.

He had never seen this man before, either. He was rather tall, with a muscular build, and he too had blue hair, which Amiti presumed would mean that he was a Mercury Adept. Amiti honestly wasn't too thrilled by being surrounded with strangers. At least they all seemed to have his best interests in mind.

"Where – "Amiti began in a hoarse voice, but the woman who had his head in her lap silenced him.

"Please wait, let me try to heal you a bit more…"

And with that, the woman closed her eyes, and Amiti recognized the cool sensation of Ply psynergy being released into him. It dulled the throbbing, and melted away the tension. Amiti closed his eyes, allowing the full affects of the Ply to overtake him, allowing it to relieve all of his misery - at least for the brief moment that it lasted.

After a moment, the woman stopped, as Amiti felt the coolness of the psynergy die away. Yet even after she was finished, he felt significantly better than he had before.

"There, that should help." she said, one of her hands traveling from his hair to his forehead as she brushed his bangs from his eyes. "Do you feel any better?"

"Much, thank you." Amiti replied, slowly propping himself on an elbow.

The man that had stopped him from rising earlier sat down in front of him, although this time he didn't attempt to stop him.

"We're glad to see you awake. We were afraid that we'd lose you for a moment there." the man said.

Amiti watched him with a blank expression, as the woman spoke.

"You were so severely injured by the time that we managed to escape from Kaocho's soldiers, that we were worried that any amount of our psynergy wouldn't be able to save you," she said softly. "They'd hit your head with something terribly hard. It had cracked your skull, and I had seriously wondered if it had caused any brain damage."

"Really?" Amiti asked in disbelief.

The woman nodded. "Yes, really! It's amazing that you survived. I'm just so glad that we happened to come when we did."

"Just from being hit in the head…"

"You're not wimpy," the man in front of him said, speaking the very thoughts that ran through Amiti's mind. "It was only a matter of what they hit you with, and how they did so."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now." The woman continued. "The important thing is that you're alright and that you're safe now."

Amiti nodded, his eyes meeting with hers.

"I cannot begin to express how grateful I am," he said bowing his head slightly, although he stopped instantly for it made his head begin to pound again. He was honestly surprised that the soldiers had done that much damage, for at the time when they struck him it didn't seem like much.

Amiti then began to study his surroundings more observantly than he had upon first regaining consciousness: they were in a forest of some kind, not unlike the one he had traveled through on his way to Harapa. The sky was lit with pink and orange rays, showing signs of dawn approaching. The air was cool and almost chilly, yet Amiti didn't feel the chill of it necessarily. Being a Water Adept, he found that he was pretty immune to the cold.

"But, who are you exactly?" Amiti asked her, feeling ashamed of questioning his saviors.

The woman smiled down at him.

"Of course, you mustn't feel safe yet. You've yet to know who we are! I'm Mia, mother to Rief."

"Mia," Amiti said slowly. "Rief's mother? The Mercury Clan's Mia?"

The woman named Mia smiled broadly at him. "Ah, so you have heard of me."

"Oh yes, I've heard much of you. I –" Amiti stopped, realizing what he had just said –

Rief's mother Mia. Mia of the Mercury Clan. One of the last living members of it, too. Alex was the other living member, making Mia and Alex cousins, which made…

This was Amiti's family. He hesitated a moment, not sure how to respond. Apart of him was overjoyed, for aside from Paithos, he had no family. Yet, would Mia and Rief be accepting of him if they knew they were family? No, quite likely not. Amiti began to reason that they'd probably be much happier not knowing the truth, as he assumed that being Alex's son probably wouldn't make them be a whole lot happier with him, if not make them turn away from him entirely.

Instead, Amiti ended his sentence in a different manner than he originally intended. "- I'm very pleased to meet you. Rief has told me much about you."

"Likewise." Mia said, still smiling. "I'm very happy to be meeting the young king of Ayuthay at last."

"Please, just Amiti." he corrected her. "I haven't been feeling much like a king lately."

Mia nodded, as she studied him hard for a long moment. Amiti prayed that she wasn't noting the resemblances between himself and Alex. If she tried to suggest anything, he had already come to the conclusion to attempt to deny it. He couldn't have them knowing the truth, not just yet at any rate.

"I understand, I think we all feel as though we cannot support our roles at times," she said calmly. "Anyway, this is a good friend of mine named Piers." she gestured to the man sitting in front of Amiti, who held out a hand to shake his.

"Hello, Amiti." Piers greeted warmly, as Amiti accepted his hand.

"He helped in restoring Alchemy to the world." Mia explained, as though Amiti needed help in recalling him. "We traveled together for some time as we lit the lighthouses back 30 years ago."

"Oh yes! I've heard of you as well. It's a great honor to meet you. I never expected that I would be meeting the Warriors of Vale!" Amiti exclaimed, although this time refrained from bowing his head too much, as he normally was accustomed to doing.

"Is he awake?" came an excited voice from behind Mia.

Amiti glanced over, and there stood a kid with the same, thick aqua blue hair as Mia, with the same turquoise eyes and round glasses that needed to be pushed up his nose. Amiti smiled over at his friend. Although it had only been several weeks since Rief and Amiti parted, Amiti could've sworn that Rief had grown. He definitely had needed to catch up on his height – Although Amiti would never admit it, Rief was a bit short for his age, and it was noticeable.

Beside him stood another Mercury Adept that Amiti didn't know, but assumed from the descriptions that he'd heard from Rief that it was his sister, Nowell. She was a good head taller than Rief and a few years older as well. She smiled shyly at Amiti, and then glanced back over her shoulder, as though avoiding his gaze.

"Rief!" Amiti exclaimed, as he sat up more properly while Rief made his way around his mother and to Amiti's surprise, embraced him like a brother. Amiti was caught off-guard by Rief's warm welcome, but appreciated it nonetheless.

"I'm so glad you're okay! We thought you were going to die, honestly," said Rief, his voice being muffled by Amiti's hair. "At first, me and Nowell tried to heal you but it didn't do any good. I was really worried that Mom wouldn't be able to heal you either."

"I'm okay now, Rief. Thank you for helping me." Amiti replied, smiling up at his cousin. _The cousin that would never know it_, Amiti thought sadly. That is, if he could help it…

"Ah, Amiti." yet another voice said as it approached. "Long time no see. I'm glad that you're up and well again. We were very worried."

Amiti looked over for the source of the voice, and his gaze met that of Kraden, who had remained just as he remembered him. The same, old, yet strong man that they had traveled with for months in ending the Eclipse. Although it had only been a few weeks since they all had journeyed together, to Amiti it seemed much longer.

Amiti bowed his head towards Kraden.

"Kraden! We've been looking for you! I'm so glad that I've found you!"

Kraden chuckled softly, taking a step forward before sitting down beside the young Water Adept.

"Actually, it was more like we found _you_." he said, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "But tell me… Why were you looking for me? Or to better rephrase that, you and a partner?"

Amiti paused, looking around the forest confusedly. He hadn't noticed until then that Alex was gone. He had been with him back when Kaocho soldiers at the entrance to Tolbi had attacked them, but now the man was nowhere to be found -

"Where's Alex?" Amiti asked, looking up Kraden expectantly.

A few of them exchanged puzzled glances, as Mia asked: "Alex? As in my cousin, Alex?"

Amiti looked over at her, shame clouding his vision as he nodded.

"Yes, he was with me when we were attacked. Kraden, we discovered what's causing the disease, and how we can put an end to it! I think Alex is telling the truth for once, too. It all makes sense," he said. "Do you know where he is?"

"Amiti," Mia said slowly, and with great precaution as if not wanting to hurt his feelings. "When we got to you, you were alone with the soldiers. They were binding you up as we ambushed them. There was no sign of Alex."

"But he couldn't have left." Amiti blurted out before he could stop himself. "His psynergy had just been drained, so he couldn't teleport anymore. And if he did, he –"

He stopped short, unable to finish his sentence. A jolt of pain pierced his heart, and this time it wasn't due to a physical injury. Alex had left him, as much as Amiti wanted to deny it possible. After everything Alex had said about wanting to make things right and wanting to get to know his only son, he left him to the Kaocho soldiers: the ruthless men that wanted him sent to the Ouroboros to die. If he cared about Amiti, even a little, how could he have left him there? It was quite obvious that there was no way possible that Amiti could've defended himself, unless perhaps Alex knew that he couldn't save him and could only save himself. Yet, it was still a selfish move. If Amiti and Alex had been taken to the Ouroboros, Alex could've teleported both of them out of there, while they attempted to stop the pandemic together. He didn't have to leave him to his doom.

The words of the woman from the garden began to echo through his mind:

"_Your father cares. Although he may have an odd way of showing it, don't give up on him. I'm sure he'll come around. He came around for me, and I don't doubt that he will for you."_

Amiti doubted that Alex really cared for him. He figured that Alex probably just wanted something from him, perhaps just an extra pair of hands to do his bidding for him. Amiti felt a fool for believing that Alex would really care about him, and felt guilty that for a moment – just a brief moment, that Amiti had felt pride in Alex being his father.

Piers shook his head, his soft, brown eyes meeting Amiti's somberly.

"I'm sorry, but if Alex were with you, he was already long gone by the time that we arrived."

"Why was Alex with you, anyway?" Rief asked Amiti incredulously. "Has he taken a sudden liking for you or something?"

"No, it's nothing." Amiti replied quickly. "It was just… He needed help in stopping the pandemic."

"He knows the source of the pandemic?" Kraden asked, curiosity spreading across his expression.

"Yes, he told me everything." Amiti told him. "Or, everything that he knew at any rate. He explained to me how Magnos is trying to break free of its binds as it feeds off of psynergy from Weyard to grow strong enough to do so. It's been releasing the psynergy vortexes in order to drain this psynergy, and once earning as much psynergy as one vortex can hold, it returns to the lining of the Psynergy Well where it absorbs this new energy."

"Alex is well-versed in the legend." Piers said, obviously impressed. "It surprises me, as not even many Lemurians are aware of the legend anymore."

"Yes, Alex is a unique one," said Kraden, his eyes moving towards Amiti's. "He could become quite a knowledgeable scholar if he chose to, yet he chooses to take his skills to foolish and greedy tasks."

Mia turned to Kraden, her knowing turquoise eyes scanning the elder man critically.

"Please tell us more about this legend, Kraden," said Mia. "We've been waiting long enough, and I think there's more that we'd all like to know."

"I think I'll have Piers explain it to you." Kraden said, smiling over at the older blue haired man. "After all, he's the one who confirmed the story to be true, so his knowledge in the matter is probably greater than mine."

"Oh no! You're the scholar, Kraden. And all of these were your theories before I even found proof that it were true." Piers paused, brushing his hair back with his hand calmly. "No, Kraden. I don't feel comfortable telling the story. Please, you do the honors."

Kraden chuckled softly, then nodded.

"Alright then, if you all insist." he said, shifting his position, as though the story that he were about to reveal was a long one.

"It all began back during the time of the Ancients," Kraden began. "Back when the elemental clans first began in Weyard. Before the Anemos fled, before the Mars clan was cursed, and most importantly – before Alchemy was sealed away. It was close to the revelation of Alchemy, or so the legend has it, that the chaos first ensued. The Ancients made wonderful inventions and discoveries with this new, profound energy, but there were many other people that investigated its uses as well. Particularly a member of the Mars clan, a man named Magnos.

"This was back in the day when all members of the Mars clan still lived in Prox, and their number was much smaller. Magnos took quite a fascination in Alchemy, and even helped aid the Ancients in their research. It wasn't until much later, however, that instead of having the Ancients' best interests in mind, Magnos was keeping Alchemy for himself. He was growing more and more powerful as time went on, to the point that virtually no one could oppose him. Soon, he became ruler of Prox, as well as most of Weyard itself. The Anemos were obliged to bow down to him, and the very little heard of Venus clan tolerated him. It was really only the Mercury Clan that opposed Magnos, but Magnos made them pay, _severely_. That's probably why to this day there is so few Mercury clan descendants alive, for they had been exterminated long, long ago.

"Magnos's rule was becoming too much to bear. These were darkened times amongst Weyard. Nowhere was safe for one that opposed his rule; that was when the Ancients decided to seal away Alchemy for good. For it was the only way that they knew to put an end to Magnos. Of course, he still roamed the planet, and so with the last of their energy, the Ancients sealed Magnos away in the very heart of Weyard, where he could never torment anyone again. However, Magnos being already as powerful as he was, couldn't be contained so easily, hence was why the creation of the Psynergy Well, and the barrier in which binds Magnos.

"The Psynergy Well is a passage hidden within Weyard that leads directly to its center, where Magnos dwells within. However, since Alchemy has been restored, some of Magnos's powers had been reawakened. With this new profound power, Magnos has found a way to attempt to break the psynergy seal that binds him. By collecting psynergy across the globe, the barrier in which holds him slowly dissolves, and eventually, if he keeps going at this rate, Magnos will eventually be free, and I seriously doubt any Adept or human being in this day and age would be capable of stopping him, considering even the powerful Ancients could not."

Kraden cleared his throat, looking around at the Mercury Adepts surrounding him. Amiti shook his head.

"Alex – failed to mention some of that." he said quietly.

"He probably didn't know the whole story," Kraden reminded him. "I'm surprised Alex knew any of it at all. Considering very few know of it today at all."

"So, overall we did doom indeed Weyard." Mia said quietly, closing her eyes in defeat.

"No, Mia," Piers broke in, shaking his head. "We did what we had to back then. If we hadn't restored Alchemy, our world as we know it today would quite likely not even exist."

"Or would be near extinction." Kraden added thoughtfully.

Amiti remained silent. All of this seemed so much more serious than he had initially thought. When speaking to Alex of the matter, he had made it all sound so simple; that all they needed to do was gather the elemental stones and their path to the Psynergy Well would be clear, they would only need to defeat the beast within and –

"He didn't know what was really down there," said Amiti slowly, causing everyone to look in his direction. "Alex continued to call it a "beast", I don't think he really knew what it was."

"Probably not," Piers admitted. "From the stories of what Magnos did, it would be easy to assume that he _is_ just a beast."

"Did he just plan to kill it?" Mia asked Amiti incredulously.

Amiti nodded slowly.

"I think that was his plan, though I cannot be certain."

"We'll need to come up with a better one that that," Kraden said firmly. "Although, I do wonder what Alex is really up to."

Mia scoffed at this. "Probably no good, he never is."

"He said he was searching for the elemental stones that are needed to find the Psynergy Well," Amiti said. "He has some sort of chart, though he doesn't know how to use it yet, but he thinks it has some connection with either finding the stones, or the Well."

"Ah, yes, the stones," Kraden said, closing his eyes. "There are two stones that are needed in finding the way to the Psynergy Well, as Amiti said."

Piers stared at Kraden blankly.

"So, are you saying these two little stones will show us the way to the Well?" Piers asked, trying to keep the ridicule of his question out of his tone, which he accomplished quite successfully.

"We don't really know," Kraden replied, causing Piers to raise an eyebrow. "All we do know is what the legend tells us, or at least – the part of the legend that we have."

"A part?" Mia asked him seriously. "You mean to say there's more?"

Kraden nodded slowly.

"Yes, the tablet which this information was collected from is broken, and a part of it was stolen from Lemuria some time back."

"Is that what you and Nowell went to go do awhile back?" Amiti asked Piers. "Is so that you could confirm the purpose of these Psynergy Vortexes?"

Piers nodded.

"We wanted to be sure before we continued to act upon our educated guesses," Piers replied. "Although Kraden knew most of it all along."

"Well, it can never hurt to be sure. For sure." said Kraden, winking at Amiti.

"But even if we found these stones, and opened the Psynergy Well," Rief said slowly, rubbing his knuckles together nervously. "What good would it do? We don't have any hopes of defeating Magnos without some serious aid, do we?"

Kraden remained silent for a moment.

"I'm working on it," he replied finally. "I think it will be quite similar to ending the Grave Eclipse and anything else that we've done, it takes a fair amount of skill, luck, and strategy."

"Do you know where the stones are, Kraden?" Amiti asked hopefully.

To his dismay, Kraden shook his head.

"I think I know how we can find out, but I have no idea as to where they could be at the moment."

"Alex thought that the Sol Stone could quite possibly reside in Magma Rock," Amiti continued. "Do you suppose that it could indeed be there?"

"I don't think it wise that we continue to go by guesswork, as Alex must have done," Kraden said wearily. "For if he doesn't know the whole of the legend, then I doubt he knows where the stones could really be. Although I'd be interested to know how he came up with his theory."

"He said that he figured it must be in some place of significance," Amiti told him, recalling his conversation that he had with Alex just that night. "And he equated that Magma Rock had something to do with Sol, and fire, so the stone would quite possibly be there."

Kraden nodded slowly as he slid his rectangular spectacles up his nose.

"He may very likely be on to something," said Kraden finally. "But I think we should go the more scientific route and find out for sure…"

"How can we find out for sure?" Mia asked. "Is there really a way?"

"Wherever there's a will, there's a way," Kraden replied vaguely, causing Piers and Mia to glance over at each other uncertainly. "I think I know where our answers lie, but I want to be certain…"

"Come on, you can tell us." Piers said, a slight edge of impatience in his tone. "Where do we need to go to find this?"

"Well, first we need to make our way to Passaj." Kraden replied. "To our Adept's hideout in the mountains. Then we'll go from there."

An odd silence erupted amongst the group. Some of them shifted awkwardly. It was quite apparent that not all of them liked Kraden's plan, that it still all seemed quite instable and not entirely full proof, but at least it was a plan. And to them, it was a start.

~(*)~

The sun was already at its peak, and was around midday. The Water Adepts had stopped a short ways outside Harapa, taking a small rest. Most of them hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, and it was certainly showing in their energy levels. Rief had actually pulled out his sleeping bag and decided to take a nap during their break. He was the only one who did this, however.

Amiti sat a short ways from all of the others, looking over the edge of the hill in which he sat, staring far out into the distance. His mind had been so preoccupied in thought that he hadn't even noticed Kraden approaching him until he felt someone hit the ground beside him.

Amiti glanced over at him, his emerald gaze searching the old scholar carefully.

"Mind if I join you?" Kraden asked casually. "I saw you doing this and thought it looked awfully nice."

"No, not at all," Amiti replied, turning to face the horizon once more. "I mean, I don't mind if you join me."

"Good," Kraden folded his hands in his lap, watching the young Water Adept with a solemn expression.

"I am sorry that Alex left you like that." he said finally after a moment's long drawn-out silence.

Amiti grew rigid at the mention of Alex. Somehow, Kraden figured that Amiti knew the truth about him. Amiti, not feeling very much like going into details, nodded.

"It's okay. I'm getting over it now. That's just the way Alex is, apparently."

A long silence emitted between the two of them, both staring into the bleak early afternoon sky until Amiti spoke suddenly, thoughts that had been bothering him since first awakening with the group of Mercury Adepts.

"Do you think dreams mean anything, Kraden?"

Kraden's blue gaze met Amiti's gently.

"What sort of dreams?"

"I don't know," Amiti said. "Just dreams in general. Like places you go, or people that you meet. What if you met someone, time and time again, and every time you see them they tell you something different? Only it all fits in together, as though they've seen you multiple times. Does that make sense?"

Kraden chuckled softly.

"You'll have to be a little more specific with me, Amiti. I'm afraid I'm growing senile and am having a harder time trying to keep up with things." he replied.

"When I was unconscious, I met this woman in my dream," Amiti said, avoiding Kraden's gaze carefully. "A woman that's dead. She was telling me that I could not stay there, that I had obligations to yet fill and that it wasn't my time yet. Was it that I was dying, and that I indeed met with a dead person?"

Kraden remained silent for a moment, observing the grass carefully.

"It's a possibility, I suppose," Kraden admitted. "No one truly knows all the wonders of the world. Although I have to say it's quite unlikely."

Amiti nodded, looking away from him.

"I would suppose you're right." he replied solemnly.

Kraden watched him thoughtfully a moment, then asked, "Who was this woman, Amiti, if I may ask?"

"I don't know," Amiti replied quickly, his face feeling flushed as he responded. "I've only met with her in… my dreams."

"Ah," Kraden said knowingly. "I see."

In truth, Amiti felt as though he did know whom the woman was, even though he had never met her in real life. After all, she had quite plainly stated it herself, only he had been too absentminded in the garden to comprehend it.

She was his mother.

**Author's Note:**

Okay, so the dream thing was just a fun thing to throw in there, it was what I call "my imagination going haywire" or to rephrase that "staying up too late to write my story" :D I hope it wasn't too 'out there' and was decently enjoyable.

Did I explain the Magnos theory/scenario clearly enough? I was sort of concerned about that. Any feedback on it would be greatly appreciated.

Also, **Puff Pastry Breadbug** – Thank you so much for your review and for the suggestions! I'll admit I hadn't really investigated much into the whole clans and Anemos stuff, so I wasn't going to touch much on it, but I'll definitely keep your suggestions in mind :) Hmm, the Anemos joining Magnos… A very interesting theory. I wonder what kind of a bind Karis would be in – having to fight against her own "ancestors" so to speak.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	15. Passaj

Chapter XV:

The trip to Passaj was nearly as eventless as Matthew had predicted it would be. By then, everyone seemed well sick of the road, and people started complaining about minor things – Tyrell in particular.

Matthew loved Tyrell to pieces. He was like a brother and a best friend to him all at the same time. They'd practically grown up together, and he was very happy to have him along. But sometimes, especially during their five-day trip up the mountains and into Passaj, Matthew sort of wished that Tyrell could learn the meaning of "silence", at least for one afternoon.

When Tyrell did happen to be jumping up and down beside Ivan's shoulder asking how much farther it would be until the next stop, he would be complaining to Matthew about how much their parents make them work for them. Or - which in Matthew's opinion was worse - he'd begin listing off all of the things that he'd do once they made it home safe and sound after their journey. While most of it seemed harmless, it began to grate on Matthew's nerves, just a little. Quite frankly, he'd like to be home enjoying life just as much as Tyrell did - he only had the decency to not be quite so vocal about it.

Karis had seemed quiet and thoughtful during their trip. Rarely did she make a comment or say a word to anyone. Whenever Matthew would comment on it, she'd simply reply by smiling, saying it was fine and that Matthew was over-scrutinizing her. Matthew would scowl and deny it, and that would always be the end of that.

One morning a few days into their trip, as they rolled up sleeping bags and prepared to set off again, Sheba seemed to fall ill. She had said she'd been feeling a little queasy off and on all throughout that week, but hadn't gone so far as to vomit until then. Ivan and Felix were instantly concerned, fearful that perhaps she was coming down with the pandemic as well, but Sheba continued to insist that she was fine.

"Something must've just disagreed with me, that's all." She would say, as though entirely dismissing the matter, and suggesting everyone else do the same.

Felix wanted to believe it, but was doubtful when she had been sick the next morning, as she had done the day before, skipping breakfast as well.

"Just leave her alone," Jenna snapped at her brother when he was about to go check on her that morning. "She'll be fine in an hour or so."

"What makes you know this? I didn't know you got a degree in the medical field." Felix said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Jenna sighed exasperatedly, setting the remains of their breakfast in a picnic basket.

"Please, just accept that I know what I'm talking about," she replied flatly. "Degree or not."

Felix crossed his arms with a frown, although he didn't go to check on Sheba. Matthew personally thought his mom would've bit his head off if he had, and wondered if perhaps that was why Felix resisted…

Sure enough, Sheba was better after a few hours and they all set off again, though she wasn't entirely as strong as she had been and didn't feel up to traveling hours on end. They ended up having to make more frequent of stops and call it a night earlier than they normally would have, which was perfectly fine with Tyrell. But it did slow them down in reaching Passaj. In what should've been a three-day trip from Harapa, it took them nearly close to five days.

They arrived in Passaj Monday afternoon, just in time to get settled in before meeting with Kraden. After renting rooms at the inn, Jenna, Ivan, Tyrell and Karis went off to go meet with the Elder of Passaj. Karis wanted to introduce her dad and Jenna to the man, and also wanted to ask him a bit more about the laws spread all throughout Angara to round up Adepts. They were curious to see if there were any "spaces left open" that the law hadn't passed in throughout the region. Sheba decided to stay at the inn, saying that she wanted to take a little catnap before dinner, and Felix grabbed Matthew and suggested they have some fun for a minute while the others went off to go and discuss politics. Matthew chuckled, and agreed. He would never deny some alone time with his uncle, especially if it meant they'd be enjoying themselves - something he hadn't done in a very long time.

There they stood, at the top of the mountains, shoving the largest boulders that they could off the edge - with their psynergy of course. Both Felix and Matthew shared the Earth element, so competing against one another was quite entertaining. So far, Felix had been able to move much larger boulders than Matthew could, but as Matthew practiced he found himself able to move larger ones, though not quite as big as his uncle's were.

There was no purpose in what they did but merely for their own enjoyment. Felix made the excuse that it was 'training' not 'playing', perhaps to be able to justify the enormous waste of psynergy that they were both indulging in. Matthew saw it merely as "just playing around" but he didn't inform his uncle of this. Instead he pretended as though this form of training was a great idea. That was until Jenna came up the mountain to see what all the loud racket was about when the boulders would fall and hit the side of the cliffs. Needless to say that she found it to be a stupid waste of psynergy.

"What if we get caught in a fight with some Kaocho soldiers later – or worse. Then what will the two of you do?" she scolded after she saw what they were doing, as Matthew shoved the remains of his boulder off the cliffs and into the deep ravine below.

"Come on, Jenna. We're just having a little fun." Felix protested. "I'm training Matthew, isn't that right kiddo?"

Matthew nodded, playing along.

"Sure, gotta practice to get better, don't you think Mom?"

Jenna sighed, as she had been doing much during their journey, and shook her head.

"I don't see how you can teach him to move rocks, Felix," she muttered, and as she turned away she added quietly to herself, "Boys. Must always play with their toys…"

Felix watched her go, then winked over at Matthew, shoving a boulder nearly as large as himself over the cliff, and Matthew could've sworn he heard the dull thud of it hit the deep ravine below.

"My dad would've enjoyed this," Matthew said absentmindedly, flipping over a smooth pebble in his hand. "He would've loved to just relax right in the middle of a foreboding quest and compete with psynergy, just to let off steam. He's all about anything to do with using his psynergy."

Felix's expression hardened at the mention of Isaac, and for a moment, Matthew regretted that he had.

"He loves using his psynergy," Felix agreed after a moment's pause. "It's just a shame that he doesn't use it in the right way."

"Why-" Matthew began, and then stopped himself.

Felix looked over at him, cocking his head as though suggesting Matthew continue. Matthew blushed slightly. Did he really dare ask his uncle why he disliked his father so much?

"Nothing, I was just wondering-" Matthew said slowly as he observed the mountains around them, wondering if there even _was_ another boulder that he could move that he and his uncle hadn't thrown down yet. "- If you and my father ever liked each other. Even when you were young?"

Felix remained silent, his expression unmoved as he shoved yet another boulder down into the ravine, faster and with more aggression than he had with all of his other previous ones.

"That's hard to say, Matthew. I suppose we got along fairly well when we were young – that is to say little kids," he said, not looking at him directly. "But during our teenage years and beyond – no, I can't say that we ever hit it off really well. We had our moments where we'd get a good laugh together, or do something that we enjoyed, but as far as our friendship goes… It's always been a bit strenuous, and sometimes not even there at all. If your dad weren't so damn stubborn, it'd definitely be easier to get along with him."

Matthew chuckled without fully intending to. Felix glanced over at him curiously, wondering what he could've possibly said that seemed funny to him.

"My dad says the same thing about you," Matthew admitted. "He's always telling me that you're a great man, but as stubborn as hell."

Felix's expression remained unmoved for a moment, and then cracked a grin.

"Sounds like Isaac." he said.

"Maybe you two are just too much alike," Matthew suggested. "So much so that you constantly bang heads. I always hear that two people that are too much alike can't stand to be around each other very much."

"I'm nothing like Isaac," he snapped, in a tone so venomous that it caused Matthew to take a step back.

"I don't understand: what is it that he's done that makes you hate him so?" Matthew asked him, as Felix began to walk closer to the mountain's edge, his back now turned to Matthew. "Is it because he married your sister and left her?"

Felix froze in his steps, and Matthew could tell even from where he stood that he tensed. Matthew instantly began to regret his words, or that he even brought up this topic at all. Not only was he making his uncle mad, but he found himself getting enraged as well. He hated thinking about how much Felix and Isaac couldn't stand each other, even though he loved both of them quite dearly.

"The fact that Isaac married my sister has nothing to do with it," Felix said bitterly, still not turning to face him. "I'm pissed off that he left her in Kalay, yes, but that still is not my reason for disliking him. He sets his priorities all wrong, leaving the people that need him most for far greater, insignificant things. For instance, his mom could be dying, yet he'll leave her to go off on an adventure that other people could do for him. But no – Isaac's the one that must earn the glory. Isaac's the one that _must _lead. Isaac's the one –"

"You didn't do much better yourself!" Matthew shot back, fury quickly rising within him. "You left your parents while they were sick, with no explanation either."

"That was different," Felix retorted, his voice rising. "I left for a reason: to help you and your mother. Isaac left for nothing but a title and –"

"Just stop!" Matthew shouted angrily, kicking pebbles out of rage. "Enough with going after my dad! I wanted to know why you two couldn't stand to be around each other, not all the petty things he's done."

Felix fell short, watching Matthew coolly; although Matthew wasn't foolish enough to overlook the fierceness in his uncle's eye. For the first time in a long while, Matthew felt rather heated himself. He glared right back, meeting his uncle's hazel eyes with his own blue ones sharply.

"Besides, have you no care at all for the fact that he's probably dead? You keep disregarding it, even though it's quite possibly true," said Matthew, feeling his throat tighten as hot tears began to well in his eyes. "No one's seen him, no one knows where he went. This all looks very ominous, yet all you can say is how bad of a man he is. While my father doesn't like you and has said things, he's never called you a bad man. In fact, he's used the words - _even to me -_ that you have a good heart."

At this point, Matthew gave up trying to fight the tears as he blinked them away, his gaze remaining fixated on his uncle. Felix's expression softened as he watched Matthew blankly for a moment, and then shook his head, making his way over to him.

"I'm sorry, Matthew. I didn't mean to get you so worked up about it," he said, placing his hands on Matthew's shoulders. "It's just not a wise idea to get me started up on the topic of your father. There are an awful lot of things I think that I need only say to him, not everyone else. Forgive me, Matthew, I wasn't trying to entirely disregard your father."

Matthew looked down, not feeling quite ready to accept his apology. Although Felix sounded sincere, he knew that he probably really felt that way about him, which stung nearly just as bad.

"I know that he might very well be in danger," Felix continued. "Otherwise I wouldn't be helping to search for him. Besides, Sheba and Jenna keep swearing to me that deep down I care about Isaac a lot. Do you suppose that's true?"

Matthew shook his head, his gaze still remaining at the rocky ground.

"I don't know," he said, feeling slightly dizzy. "Haven't seen the two of you together yet."

Felix grinned, tousling Matthew's hair before throwing his arm around him, bringing him tight against his chest.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, Matthew," he said in Matthew's thick blond hair. "I don't hate Isaac, really I don't. And I do really hope that we'll find him alive and well. I'd never wish him harm, even though he and I have our issues."

Matthew didn't say a word, although he was truly grateful for his uncle's words; he really hoped that they would find Isaac alive and well, too. If they didn't – well, life would just never be the same for him.

Matthew heard footsteps fall upon the rocky cliff nearby, and pulled away from his uncle to see who was approaching. The footsteps halted, and there stood Karis, watching them with an odd expression that Matthew couldn't quite decipher. She met Matthew's eye and smiled.

"There you guys are! Jenna sent me off to find you. Dinner's ready, then we've gotta go meet Kraden at the Alchemy Forge," she paused, considering the ground a moment. "I just hope that he's really there."

Matthew nodded, treading over to her slowly.

"Cool, thanks. Where are we eating?" he asked her.

"With the Bogho and his grandson," Karis replied. "Or at least I think his grandson will be joining us, I'm not altogether sure. We haven't seen him yet."

"Kids," Felix muttered under his breath, as he came over to join them. "They always will make it home in time for meals. Just watch."

Matthew and Karis exchanged a glance, and then broke out grinning.

Felix took on the lead, while Matthew and Karis followed. Matthew wasn't entirely sure what had possessed him, but he found himself linking hands with Karis. She glanced down a moment at their hands curiously before meeting Matthew's eye, then smiled, her cheeks reddening slightly. Matthew returned the smile awkwardly, and then quickly looked away, carefully lacing his fingers around hers. He wasn't sure why he did it, nor why he was acting so strange about it. It wasn't like he and Karis barely knew each other, after all. Was it really so strange for two good friends to be holding hands down a mountain? Maybe to some people, but Matthew wondered why Karis's reaction was nearly just the same as his own.

But then again, Matthew had been feeling mixed emotions about Karis lately. He'd always just considered her one of his best friends, and almost like a sister. But lately, particularly during the Grave Eclipse, Matthew had seen something in her that he'd never noticed before. Perhaps he'd noticed the fact that she _was_ a girl, as she'd always been so tomboyish before. Seeing her in a dress with her hair down the night of the celebration before they left from Belinsk seemed to lay quite an impression on him. He'd never seen her as feminine, or as pretty before. Now, looking at her he didn't see the same childhood friend that he always had, and it unnerved him. He wanted to have the simple, carefree relationship with Karis that he always had, and wasn't sure how to decipher these new feelings that were arising in him towards her. Were they right? Should he try to shut them off? Matthew just didn't know, and being the quiet, reserved person that he was, he never mentioned it to anyone. Not even Tyrell, who he knew would just laugh at him anyway.

They arrived in the Elder's small, cramped home that Matthew had visited only a month prior. The town was in far better shape than it had been during the Eclipse, and Matthew was surprised by how quickly they had managed to build their city back up. At a table near the entranceway, he saw all of the others already seated chatting away animatedly to the Elder of Passaj, his grandson, Baghi, and…

"Amiti?" Matthew asked incredulously as his mouth gaped open in surprise.

Amiti, who was sitting to Baghi's left, looked up at the mention of his name and smiled broadly up at him.

"Oh, Matthew!" Amiti exclaimed, rising from his seat as he rushed over to greet him. "How wonderful to see you again!"

Matthew felt Karis let go of his hand as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear nervously. Matthew looked over at her and fidgeted awkwardly, had anyone noticed that they were holding hands? If his mother saw it, he knew that he'd never hear the end of it.

Matthew and Amiti shook hands, both grinning from ear to ear, as they then embraced each other like old best friends. Amiti then turned to Karis and nodded, still smiling.

"Hello, Karis," he said. "How are you?"

Karis couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback. No handshake? No hug? No nothing? Just a simple hello? Karis wondered if he truly did have something against her.

To be polite, Karis merely nodded in return, a faint smile playing against her lips.

"Fine, Amiti. And you?"

Amiti hesitated, and for a moment Karis thought he was really going to say exactly how he was besides just a mere "fine", until Ivan broke up the awkward silence for them. "Come on, all of you! Sit down! We're starving from being on the road so long and would really like to eat. You three can all catch up on things later."

Amiti returned to his seat alongside Baghi, while Karis sat across from him, with Matthew to her right. Tyrell was sitting just on the other side of Matthew, while he rambled on about some event of insignificance to Baghi quite enthusiastically. Karis glanced over at him, and although Baghi may not have been enjoying their conversation, he put on a good show of pretending to.

"I'm very sorry to hear about your uncle," Karis said quietly to Amiti, breaking up the odd silence between them. "I just found out a few days ago that you had been crowned king and knew what that had to mean for your uncle…"

Amiti's expression fell downcast, as he remained silent for a moment. He finally brought his emerald green eyes up to her violet ones, and although he hid it well, she could see all of the sadness within them.

"Thank you," he replied, and then paused before adding, "It's good to hear someone acknowledge him. Most people like to pretend that he never existed."

"How awful," Karis muttered, glad to have Amiti at least speaking with her now. "Don't people realize that it's easier to discuss things out rather than just pretend like they never happened?"

"You would think so," he muttered under his breath.

Karis could notice him shift uncomfortably, so she changed the topic abruptly.

"When did you get here?" Karis asked him, as Baghi politely fixed a plate for her. "I was here just a minute ago, so you must've just shown up."

"I did," Amiti replied. "Baghi and I were overlooking a few things down in the mountain's passageways. I've only been in town for about a day. How about all of you?"

"We just got here this afternoon." Matthew said as he swallowed a bite whole. He'd forgotten just how spicy the food from Passaj was, and didn't want to make a show of it by spitting it out. He thought that'd come across as fairly rude.

"Yeah, we're supposed to be meeting with Kraden tonight," Tyrell replied casually, breaking from his conversation with Baghi at last. "Have you seen him yet?"

Amiti nodded. "Yes, we arrived here together. I'm surprised that you are supposed to be meeting with him, he never mentioned it to me."

"I guess Kraden wanted to keep it a secret from everyone," said Karis skeptically. "He's sort of like that."

Amiti considered her words for a moment; a look of doubt crossed his expression.

"Perhaps," he replied mildly, before turning to Matthew. "So, what brings you to Passaj? I've met your mother. Is it true that yours and Tyrell's father have gone missing?"

Matthew nodded, taking a long drink of water before responding, praying that no one had or would notice that he had nearly choked on the food only moments ago.

"Yeah, we came home to them being gone, and nothing but a gigantic vortex showing up outside our cabin." Matthew said at last.

Amiti looked down thoughtfully.

"You don't suppose it could have anything to do with the pandemic, do you?" Amiti asked him.

"Anything's possible." Matthew replied nonchalantly, not really wanting to entertain the idea; whenever he did the thought depressed him.

Amiti blinked, then looked over at Tyrell, trying to engage him in conversation, seeing as Matthew appeared to be uninterested.

"Did you only come to Passaj to meet with Kraden then?"

"Yeah, he wrote to us saying to meet him here," Tyrell replied, helping himself to more rice and curry. "He's gonna help us figure out what happened to Isaac and my dad."

"Did he?" Amiti asked, frowning slightly. "How interesting. I mentioned the three of you and he never said a word about anything that was going on. I had no idea that your parents were missing, or that he had been in contact with you."

Tyrell shrugged, not really giving it much thought, as he began chowing down on his plate again. They all hadn't had a warm, decent meal in days, and so the dinner that they were having just then seemed even more excellent than it would have been otherwise. Matthew, however, wasn't a particular fan of spicy food, and was partly relieved when they had eaten in Kaocho after staying in Passaj and Ayuthay for a while during their last trip. Kaocho's food was quite similar to that of Passaj and Ayuthay, only without the spice. Ayuthay's food hadn't been quite as bad as Passaj's as far as spices went, but Matthew preferred his food bland. Karis liked it spicy, and Tyrell didn't seem to really care. All of the adults were eating their food just fine, so either they didn't care or ate it because it was there. Matthew wasn't quite sure, and didn't find it very necessary to find out.

Sheba was the only one who hadn't really touched her plate much, though Matthew wasn't entirely surprised – she hadn't had very much of an appetite lately. He noticed Jenna kept offering her bread and poured her some of the fruit smoothie that was being offered. So far, Jenna seemed to be the most understanding of Sheba's sudden illness, though no one questioned it. Matthew began to partly wonder if it had something to do with their conversation that he had walked in on that day in Harapa before they left to Passaj. He really wanted to ask his mom about it, but felt that if he did it would be getting too nosy. It really wasn't in Matthew's personality to poke his nose in other people's business like that, and didn't want to make a habit of it just then.

"So, Amiti. What are you doing in Passaj?" asked Karis suddenly, looking directly at the Mercury Adept. "I heard you were on the run."

Amiti's expression darkened, as he averted his eyes from hers.

"That is a sore topic for me," he replied quietly as he drew in a breath, as if about to say something that would take great effort. "_Yes,_ I am on the run, and yes, I did abandon Ayuthay - though not forever. I'm hoping to find the source of this pandemic with Kraden and put a stop to it. That would be the best course of action to take at the moment. For Ayuthay and for everyone."

"Sounds big," said Tyrell, interrupting their conversation. "What about setting your goals a little smaller? Maybe a little more realistic? Like, start your own army against the Kaocho nuts, for instance. We've already got Ayuthay and Morgal on our side –"

"I'm not interested in starting a war," Amiti replied shortly. "We'd be greatly outnumbered. And anyway, it won't do us a whole lot of good if the disease is still spreading and annihilate all of us. In the end, there won't be anything left of us anyway, and other darker things will begin to rule Weyard."

Karis glanced over at Matthew, raising an eyebrow. Matthew shrugged, not knowing what Amiti was getting at either.

"What 'darker things' are you referring to, Amiti?" Matthew asked him.

Amiti hesitated. "You all don't know?"

Karis, Matthew and Tyrell all shook their heads. Amiti watched them for a moment, as he then glanced towards his plate.

"Perhaps Kraden was planning on explaining all of it to you tonight," Amiti said finally. "It's quite a long story, and I would hate to get the facts wrong –"

"Is it that serious?" Karis asked him.

Amiti nodded. "Definitely. And I wouldn't be surprised if this is somehow linked to Isaac and Garet's disappearances. From what you told me of them, this seems like something that they would go out and pursue."

"What's all this?" Ivan asked curiously, noticing the seriousness fall across the four young Adepts at the mention of the pandemic and Isaac and Garet's absence.

Amiti shook his head.

"I think it'd be best if I allow Kraden to explain it to you," he replied to Ivan. "He always has a better way of putting things."

"Good ol' Kraden," Ivan muttered, returning back to the adults' conversation. "I knew he'd come through for us."

"Okay, then at least tell me this…" Tyrell began, leaning across the table as he eyed Amiti seriously.

"Yes, go on."

"Is there even a possibility that we could succeed?"

Amiti took a bite of his food to stall out his response.

"Anything's possible." he replied, using the vague response that Matthew had used towards him when Amiti had asked him a rather difficult question. Matthew met Amiti's eye, and Amiti grinned over at him broadly.

"Well, that's good to hear." Tyrell muttered, leaning back, obviously not catching the exchange between Matthew and Amiti.

"Think Kraden would be ready for us now?" Karis asked them. "It's already a quarter after eight."

"I don't know," Amiti replied dully. "He said he had some things to do in the Alchemy Forge…"

"That's where he said he'd be meeting us!" Karis said excitedly.

Amiti glanced over at her in surprise.

"Really? He'd meet you in the Alchemy Forge?" he asked her in disbelief. "That's… certainly a strange place to meet."

"It's what he said," said Tyrell, taking a sip of water. "What do you say, Matthew? Shall we head over there now?"

Matthew glanced over at Jenna, waiting to catch her attention. Once she finally looked over at him she waved a hand dismissively.

"You kids go on ahead," she told him. "We'll catch up with you later."

"Yeah, go on." Ivan said, smiling.

Matthew hesitated a moment, then nodded as he stood up from his seat, while the other three Adepts did so as well.

"Let's go."

**Author's Note:**

Just a random thing I noticed while writing this chapter… But has anyone else noticed that Matthew has blue eyes? Briggs comments once how Matthew looks just like his father, but has Jenna's eyes. Now, if we go back to Golden Sun 1 and 2, the woman has _brown eyes_, not blue. Now for the real question: Where did the error come from? The graphic designer, or the story developer? Just a funny, insignificant thing I noticed and to be quite honest, am not sure why I'm even bringing it up! I just was a little stumped on this chapter when writing about Matthew's eyes I'm like "Oh, jeez. _Did _he have brown eyes?" I actually had to pull out the game to double check and lo and behold, they're blue!

Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. The story's pace is going to continue to quicken from this point on, but my updates will also start coming much slower as well :( I'm hoping to get them up weekly still, *I hope*, but no promises. And hey, last time I thought that I'd slow down I was still getting them written up in about three days! But don't worry, I definitely won't abandon this story until it's done – I'm dying to write the best part that's yet to come.

There's too much silence, I'm beginning to worry that perhaps you all don't like it… :D But hey, I'd love a review even if you don't like it! That works too :) Anything would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for reading!

**Puff Pastry Breadbug: **Thanks for your review! I'm glad you didn't mind the dream sequence. I wanted to add Veriti in *somehow* and well… I found my opportunity! Let's just say that Amiti got hit in the head a little too hard to be seeing dead people like that ;P


	16. Captured 'again'

Chapter XVI:

Matthew and the other three Adepts entered the darkened chambers of the Alchemy Forge, the only source of light emitted from the energy that pulsed through the Forge's walls. Due to winter having already begun, the sun had set early and the darkness of night had already fallen upon the mountain city of Passaj, leaving the Alchemy Forge in an even darker state.

The four Adepts carefully stepped across the threshold and onto the marble-stone floor of the Forge, each looking around in awe.

"Just as we left it," said Karis cheerfully, resting a palm against the wall. "Honestly last time we left, I didn't think I'd be seeing it again for a long time."

"Nor I," Amiti admitted. "It's interesting how fate plans things sometimes."

"Yeah, it sure is," Tyrell agreed.

Matthew remained silent, frowning slightly as he looked around the forge. Tyrell glanced over at him curiously, but he paid him no heed as Matthew walked around a pillar, watching the opposite corner of the Forge curiously as he approached. He could've sworn that he heard something.

As he passed several other pillars and crossed the Alchemy Forge's center, he heard the sound again, and now that he was closer it sounded as though something metal was being moved around.

"Oh, honestly Rief," a female's voice said with a sigh, "_Can't_ you figure out how to use a thermometer?"

"Of course I can!" Rief said with a slight edge of impatience in his tone. "It's just a matter of fitting it _in_ this tiny, miniscule tube. If you're so good, I'd like to see you try."

"Okay then, I might."

"Children! Children! Please! Now's not the time to argue," an elder voice said, one that Matthew recognized all too well, one in which caused his heart to skip a beat.

Matthew rushed around the corner, coming face to face with Rief, Nowell and Kraden. He reached them breathlessly, looking at the group with joy.

"Kraden!" Matthew exclaimed. "I'm so glad to see you!"

While Matthew was happy and relieved to see them, the same could not be said for them. Kraden's expression held surprise and confusion, while Rief and Nowell merely stared at Matthew blankly, as though a bit dumbfounded by his appearance. By the way they stared at him, you would've thought Matthew had three heads. Kraden, finally coming to his senses, shook his head and placed a hand on Matthew's shoulder.

"Matthew!" he said, laughing softly. "It's good to see you so soon again, my young friend! Did you bring anyone with you?"

As he asked this, he looked around the corner to find Tyrell and Karis approaching, waving like mad, with Amiti a short distance behind them. Nowell, still looking dumbfounded, glanced over at her brother, Rief with a raised eyebrow, and then turned her turquoise gaze towards Matthew, and at last Kraden.

"I'm confused. Would someone _please _explain to me what is going on?" she asked.

"Kraden! At last we've finally found you!" exclaimed Karis breathlessly, rushing over to the old scholar and hugging him without a moment's hesitation.

"Yeah, we wanted to see each other again soon, but who knew that it'd be _this soon, _right?" said Tyrell, coming to a halt in front of them.

"Yes, it is rather a surprise, isn't it?" Kraden said, still smiling at the lot. "Now, was this everyone? Or are there others with you as well that you're hiding somewhere?"

"No, that's everyone," Karis replied breathlessly, being a little too enthusiastic about meeting with Kraden. "Well, that's meeting with you _here_, I mean. Back at the Elder's house we've got Jenna, my dad, Felix and Sheba."

Kraden's expression held genuine surprise at the mention of Felix.

"Felix is here?" he asked incredulously.

"Yup, he came too," Matthew said. "We sort of met up with them on the way here."

"Oh, I see," said Kraden, a look of uncertainty in his eyes.

"So," Tyrell said, interrupting their little chat. "What sort of investigation have you done for us?"

"Investigation? For you?" Kraden repeated, raising an eyebrow as he eyed the Fire Adept curiously.

"Uh-huh," Tyrell replied, grinning at the elderly scholar. "You know, about finding our dads?"

"Your parents have gone missing?" Kraden asked disbelievingly, turning to Matthew and Karis. "When did this happen?"

Matthew and Karis looked at each other. Hadn't Kraden told them in the letter that he had heard about all of that?

"Maybe you didn't know all of the facts," Matthew said slowly. "But my dad and Garet have gone missing. When we got home, they were just gone. No clues to where they went, except for a huge, mega vortex just outside our cabin."

"That's –" Kraden began, hesitating before he finished his sentence. "Bad."

Karis nodded.

"It certainly looks ominous, yes. But you said you thought you knew where they could be, so…"

"I did?"

"Yeah, in your letter," Karis said, cocking her head slightly, wondering if it could be true that Kraden was finally going senile and simply didn't remember.

"My letter-" Kraden repeated, still looking dumbfounded.

"You mean," said Matthew, realization slowly beginning to sink into him. "You didn't write us any letter… did you?"

"No, Matthew. I didn't. Nor did I hear anything from you."

Karis shot a quick glance over at Matthew, her mind racing furiously; she knew that they had sent a letter, and they _had _gotten a response from Kraden, as strange as the response might've been. She had had a sick feeling about trusting a pigeon with something important such as this, it had only been due to their dire situation that she went against her better judgment and did it.

"But then – I don't understand," said Karis, shaking her head. "If you didn't get our letter, then who wrote to us saying that you'd meet us here?"

Almost in answer, shadows began to form before them. Wind swept around them in a circular motion, whipping their hair into their faces as two people formed within the shadows, ones that the Adepts hadn't ever seen in their lives. One of them was a woman with long, pale blond hair and deep violet eyes, not unlike Karis's, only they didn't hold the warmth that Karis's did, but instead retained great malice and hatred. She was dressed in black with bright fuchsia accents, with a long, thin rapier hanging from a belt at her hip. Her accomplice was a tall, lean man with sleek, jet black hair that fell several inches past his shoulders. His eyes were slanted as though from orient descent, though his features differed much from the typical 'oriental folk'. His nose was long and pointed, and his skin was waxy and pale, being in great contrast to his hair.

"That would have to have been me, my dear," the woman said, bowing sardonically.

"Who are you?" Kraden demanded. "And why do you find it amusing to try to impersonate me?"

The woman shook back her blond hair as she eyed Kraden with an amused expression.

"I didn't find it amusing to impersonate you at all, old man," she said, narrowing her eyes slightly. "In fact, I found it quite annoying, to be entirely truthful. But we all do what we must-"

"Why did you find it necessary?" Karis asked her. "And you never answered Kraden's question."

"Yes, she did," the man with the black hair insisted. "He asked _why _she impersonated him, and she said –"

"No, she didn't!" Tyrell fumed. "She didn't answer anything at all!"

"Enough, children, our arguing is getting us nowhere," said Kraden impatiently, taking a step towards the two strangers. "You seem to want something, or else you wouldn't have sent Matthew and his friends the false letter."

"Yes, I do want something, but it was something that _you _stole from us!" the woman exclaimed, meeting Kraden's eye sharply.

"Oh? I don't recall stealing anything from anyone recently. I think you must be mistaken." Kraden replied calmly, while at this point it was quite apparent that the woman was fuming with rage.

She started to make a motion forward, but the black haired man threw out an arm to stop her, as he eyed Kraden coolly.

"Now, now, Alyss," he soothed. "Fighting with the old fool isn't going to get back our stone. I can see why the High Empyror insisted I come along with you, for he knew that _someone _would need to put your fire out."

"The High Empyror?" Karis exclaimed, catching the black-haired man by surprise as his gaze snapped towards her. "That must mean you're members of the Tuaparang!"

"Charmed," the woman, Alyss said, as she threw Karis a smirk, "You seem to be a very bright young woman, so perhaps _you _know what Kraden stole from us, and where he's hiding it."

"Before this gets any farther," Kraden interjected, taking a step forward, "I would like to know why you involved the children into this, if all you are wanting is a stone from me."

Alyss's eyes glittered for a moment, then the expression died away as her gaze turned cold once more.

"I needed to find you, but couldn't," she replied flatly. "I had done everything in my power to attempt to locate you, but that's when I found this group of brats talking about wanting to find you down in Patcher's Place, so they sent you a letter describing their situation –"

"That's where you were wrong," Karis said through gritted teeth, her hands tightening into fists.

Alyss glanced over at the young Wind Adept.

"Excuse me?"

"That's where you were wrong," Karis repeated. "We didn't describe our situation, we just wanted to meet with Kraden. I knew there was something fishy about your letter! I wondered how Kraden could've known that Isaac and Garet had disappeared –"

Alyss glared at Karis a moment before leaping forward, smacking her hard across the face, the impact sending Karis reeling backwards. Tyrell caught her with an arm, while Matthew unsheathed his sword, pointing it directly at Alyss's heart.

"Don't talk back to me like that!" Alyss spat, glaring down at Karis in disgust, as Karis stood upright, placing a hand against her reddened cheek. "You filthy, insolent little –"

"Never mind, let's just get back to the story now," her accomplice muttered gruffly, crossing his arms. "We've already wasted too much time here, let's just say what we need to say and be on our way-"

"Since when have you been in charge?" Alyss shouted at him, then turned back to face Kraden, putting on her smooth, sleek persona once more. "We figured that if we found these kids, we'd make a deal with them: they bring Kraden to us, and we'd deliver the Warriors of Vale to them."

"Wait a minute – you mean that _you guys _took them?" Tyrell asked incredulously, looking from Alyss to her accomplice.

"More or less," the man replied, grinning broadly.

"Why did you do that?" Matthew demanded, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown as he met Alyss's eyes, shoving almost as much hatred into his as hers possessed. Alyss laughed, one that sent chills down Matthew's spine.

"We are the Tuaparang! Do we really _need_ a reason why? Honestly, boy, after you dealt with our past comrades, I really would've thought you've learned about how we worked by now."

"You're hiding something from us," Karis spat. "Let it out – what do you _really _want from Matthew?"

"Absolutely nothing," Alyss said, smiling at her. "I just wanted him to bring Kraden to us, since we were incapable of locating him ourselves. For if we could find Matthew, and if he were looking for Kraden, surely he'd find him in the end."

"You're not even making any sense," Tyrell said, shaking his head. "You mean you wanted us to find Kraden for you, and we'd bring him to you, is that it?"

"Now you're catching on," The black-haired man said. "Only, we never dreamed that you all would be able to bring Kraden to us so quickly."

"Why is it that you want me?" Kraden asked. "I did not steal anything from you-"

"Lies!" Alyss hissed, glaring daggers at Kraden. "I _know _that you hold the Luna Stone, and I'm going to get it back by any means necessary!"

"The Luna Stone?" Amiti asked incredulously, looking at Kraden in surprise. He recalled that just the other night, Kraden had explained that they needed to find the two stones in order to end the pandemic, but he never mentioned that he already possessed one of them. Amiti began to wonder how much else Kraden knew but wasn't sharing with him.

Kraden's expression was emotionless as he continued to watch the Tuaparang General.

"I don't have it," Kraden replied finally. "Although, I am curious as to why you're looking for it…"

"Because it was _stolen _from us!" Alyss exclaimed. "And I want it back!"

The black haired man shrugged.

"Come on, Alyss. The man's already declared that he didn't take it. You insisting that he has isn't going to do us any good, perhaps you ought to let the High Empyror have a word with him-" he said dismissively.

"Shut up, Jedite! No one was asking you for advice!" she shouted at him, as she whirled back around to face Kraden, "Though, it seems my accomplice is right: If you continue to deny taking the stone, then I will have no choice but to take you in to see the Empyror himself."

Kraden nodded. "Sounds reasonable," he replied. "I would very much like to meet this High Empyror of yours. I've often wondered who this man really is."

"What a nutcase," Alyss muttered under her breath.

Alyss's black-haired accomplice, Jedite, threw his dark cape back over his shoulder, eyeing Kraden carefully as he did so.

"It all works well, for the Empyror personally requested a word with you," Jedite told him. "Shall you come quietly, or will you choose to put up a fight?"

"I will go willingly once you tell me of the conditions in which you're taking me," said Kraden calmly. "Is it that you wish me harm?"

"No, in fact we were ordered _not _to harm you," Alyss replied with an odd smirk. "Else I would've done so already, I hate toying around."

"And once your Empyror is through with me, shall I be released?"

"That is for the High Empyror to decide," Jedite replied. "We don't make the rules, but my educated guess is once he's through with you he'll probably release you."

Kraden nodded, his twinkling, pale blue eyes meeting with Alyss's firmly.

"Very well, then I have no objections to come with you. However, I have one condition."

Alyss sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Oh? And what might _that _be?" she sneered, as though Kraden were doing nothing but wasting her precious time.

"You must allow these young Adepts to come with me."

"What?"

"To ensure my safety," Kraden added. "If what you claim is true… Then you should have no problem allowing them to come."

Matthew shot a glance over at Kraden, his expression held great concern. But as he met his eye, Kraden seemed perfectly at ease, and almost seemed amused by it all. Matthew relaxed slightly by this, for if Kraden weren't concerned, then he probably had a plan. But why he wanted them to come was beyond his scope of understanding.

"I – am not sure the High Empyror would approve," Alyss said slowly, looking at each of the Adepts uncertainly.

"We promise that we won't interfere, unless of course that is to save Kraden," Rief said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It couldn't possibly hurt to take us along, could it?"

Alyss thought this over for a long moment, and then nodded.

"No, I suppose not," she said finally. "And if you all seem to get in the way - or cause any sort of trouble _at all_ - then I'll simply have to lock you up and you all will regret the days you were born, understood?"

The Adepts nodded, while Nowell hesitated slightly.

"I should go and inform mom about what's going on," she said finally. "Though I'm worried about all of you going with the Tuaparang…"

"We'll be fine," Kraden reassured her. "Why don't you do that? Please inform the others that were with Matthew as well. They're in visiting the Elders of Passaj as we speak, you're bound to find them."

Alyss laughed her cold, high-pitched laugh, and shook her head.

"I hope you're not planning on sending your other mini-crew of Adepts to come save you," she said smirking, "For it's not going to work. The Tuaparang's members all reside atop the Zenith Isle – a floating continent that even your powerful Adepts couldn't even dream of reaching!"

"No, I don't think that was what Nowell had in mind," said Kraden wearily. "I think she only wanted to inform her mother of the change… of plans."

He looked over at Matthew as he said this, the pairs of blue eyes meeting. Matthew thought that perhaps Kraden was trying to tell him something, only he couldn't possibly fathom what.

"Good, then it's settled," Jedite said. "The six of you are to come with us aboard our airship: The Dark Matter, and we'll get down to business."

With that, Jedite threw his cape back, snapped his fingers, and they all found themselves surrounded in shadows; the scene of the Alchemy Forge slowly became darker and darker, until it vanished from sight entirely.

~(*)~

"I'm sorry that I brought all of you into this," Kraden said solemnly, glancing over directly at Amiti and Matthew, the two who were nearest to him.

They were aboard the Tuaparang airship _The Dark Matter_, and were being held prisoner in a large, circular room. The room contained a window, but even if they did manage to unbind the chains that they all found themselves restrained in, they had no hope of managing to escape, as they were hundreds of feet from the ground by then.

"I fail to understand why you let them take you to begin with," Amiti said bitterly. "There were only two of them, we could have fought them."

"Yeah, we've kicked Tuaparang butt before," Insisted Tyrell. "We could've done it again!"

Though all of the Adepts had willingly accompanied Kraden, they all weren't too thrilled with it. They didn't understand why Kraden had gone without a fight, for as Tyrell had mentioned, it wasn't their first encounter with the Tuaparang, and with all of them having been there, they felt as though they could've easily avoided being taken.

"It was our opportunity," Kraden said quietly. "For you see, I actually _wanted _them to take us to this "Zenith Isle" of theirs."

Matthew blinked, staring dumbfounded at him.

"Why?" he managed to blurt out before he could stop himself.

Kraden looked over at Matthew seriously.

"Have you ever heard of the legend of the Psynergy Well?"

"The Psynergy-what?" Tyrell interrupted, almost in answer.

"No, Kraden," said Amiti, shaking his head. "I hadn't told them of the legend yet. I thought I would let you."

"Ah, yes. Both you _and _Piers don't seem to want to tell it. Very well," Kraden rubbed his bounded wrists, and carefully explained the story of the Psynergy Well as he had before to Amiti, Rief and the other Mercury Adepts. Starting from the story of the betrayer of Prox, named Magnos, to the sealing of Alchemy and the true story of why it was sealed away. Matthew smacked his forehead at the mention of the vortexes and the pandemic.

"That makes total sense," he said. "That's why this disease is only affecting Adepts."

Karis shivered slightly, though it wasn't from being cold. She recalled all of the sick people that they had seen back in Harapa, particularly the sick, dying family that her and Matthew had tried to heal. One of the children had died while they tried to help; only now Karis began to wonder if perhaps they had been trying to help them in the wrong way.

"They needed psynergy, didn't they?" Karis said quietly. "All of those sick Adepts back in Harapa. If we had given them a bit of our psynergy, do you suppose-?"

Kraden shook his head.

"I doubt that it would've changed their outcome, Karis," said Kraden. "Once an Adept is ill enough to come down with the pandemic, they are far beyond requiring only a little bit of psynergy from another Adept. They are much more devoid of psynergy than that. Does that make sense?"

"So, you're saying that even if a very powerful Adept were to give all of their psynergy to a sick person, it still wouldn't do any good, right?" Rief clarified.

Kraden nodded.

"Very good, Rief. That's exactly what I mean."

"So, if we stop this Magnos demon we'll end the pandemic for good and life will be able to return as it once was?" Tyrell asked him.

"That is my theory,"

"What about those that are already sick?" asked Karis. "Is it just too late for them?"

Kraden hesitated.

"That," he began slowly, "I don't know. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

Amiti turned sharply towards Kraden, failing to keep the accusatory tone from his voice as he spoke, "So, I suppose you already have the Luna Stone, then."

Kraden looked over at the young Water Adept, studying him carefully a moment before shaking his head.

"No, Amiti. I don't."

Amiti's expression held surprise for a moment.

"What happened to it then?"

"Nothing," was Kraden's reply. "I never did take it from them, although I find it very interesting that they possessed it at one time, and that someone did _indeed_ take it from them. I wonder who it was…"

For a moment, Amiti had the fleeting thought that Kraden was lying to him, but decided to shove the concept from his mind. He had no reason to disbelieve in Kraden, after all, up until then he'd been entirely truthful with him. Having no trust in him now would only cause them to suffer in their future quest of which lay before them.

Matthew stared long and hard out of the window, though all he could see surrounding them were clouds. It all began to make sense to him: the vortexes mysteriously popping up since alchemy had been restored, why the pandemic were only infecting Adepts… For only starting out on a quest to find their parents, it seemed to be becoming something much more.

"We'll help put a stop to this," Matthew said, nodding. "Just tell us what we need to do."

Kraden began to open his mouth when the door to their room slid open, and there stood Alyss. She eyed the Adepts coolly, before turning towards Kraden.

"You're needed above-decks," she muttered, striding forward to release Kraden of his bonds.

"I am?" asked Kraden in surprise, as the locks on his chains clicked, releasing his wrists from his chains.

"Yes – if you weren't, why else would I be saying it?" Alyss sneered, pulling Kraden up gruffly by the arms.

Amiti started to make a motion to stop her, but restrained himself. He remembered Alyss's rage back at the Alchemy Forge, and knew that it'd be senseless to try to stop her from being so reckless with Kraden. Although Kraden was indeed very old, it wasn't as though he was entirely frail. Though he managed to refrain from stopping her, he couldn't hide the fury from his eyes.

As she turned to leave, she stopped upon meeting Amiti's eyes, and froze for a moment.

"Do I – _know _you from somewhere? You look awfully familiar," Alyss said to him, tilting her head slightly as she looked Amiti over more carefully.

Amiti swallowed hard. Did he really want her knowing that he was king of Ayuthay? Was that the answer she was even looking for?

"I don't think so," he replied, and even he was surprised by how calm he had managed to keep his tone.

Alyss frowned, rubbing her chin.

"Are you sure? I feel as if I know you… Though I can't place from where," she laughed at this, throwing back her sheets of pale blond hair as she did so. "It's something about your face. I've seen that expression before."

Amiti blinked confusedly, but before he had time to say another word to her, she already had her back to him and was at the doorway with Kraden closely behind her.

"My expression?" Amiti wondered, not meaning to do so aloud as the two left the room, letting the door slam shut behind them.

Tyrell shrugged.

"Who knows," Tyrell mumbled. "She's a bit of a nut, that one."

"Still," Karis said, studying the tile floor carefully. "I wonder why Kraden had wanted us to be taken to their Isle."

"I suppose there's no way of knowing now," said Amiti with a sigh, sitting on the floor as he rested his head against the wall. "Or at least until they bring Kraden back."

"Whatever the reason, I'm sure it must be good," Rief said. "Remember that this is Kraden that we're talking about here. He's not going to endanger our lives for nothing."

Matthew nodded and fell silent, the rest of the room seeming to follow suit. No one had much to say, there hardly was anything _to say_, except for the many questions in which shrouded their minds. Though even if they chose to speak them, no one could provide an answer.

Amiti watched the ceiling, his emerald green eyes carefully tracing the patterns along the symbolic designed tiles above him. He subconsciously found his mind thinking back to what Alyss had said. He didn't know why it seemed to bother him so, many people knew him as the king of Ayuthay. He didn't see why she would be different. It was the fashion in which she stated it in that seemed to trouble him so much.

"… _I've seen that expression before."_

While he continued to ponder over it some more, he felt his eyelids growing heavier, and the design on the ceiling becoming more and more out of focus. He hadn't realized that he dozed off until Matthew asked him a question that made entirely no sense.

Or at least, to _him _it made no sense.

"_If you could be a pigeon, what color would you be?"_

**Author's Note:**

So, anyone who has seen much of Sailor Moon, or even a little of it will know where I got the name Jedite from *big grin*. I myself was never really a fan of Sailor Moon much, but the name sure stuck with me!

Hope you liked this chapter, and that the plot is making sense up to this point. It's hard when you make mental notes of what's happening, and how much want to reveal at a given time, though you yourself know the entire story. I'm trying to keep it suspenseful, yet want to give the readers enough information so that it makes sense and that there's 'clues' as to what it could be. Anyway, I hope I'm achieving that fairly well.

Anyway, please read and review. I love comments and feedback!

As always, a big thank you for reading!

**BlackAcerZ: **Thank you so much for the review! I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying the story thus far. It's been a ton of fun to write! Yes, I was sort of trying to lead clues that the letter was possibly not from Kraden, though I wonder if I made the statement a little too boldly. Suspense yet trying to give clues is quite challenging! Anyway, hope you continue to enjoy the story.


	17. Prisoners of the Zenith Isle

Chapter XVII:

"Amiti," he heard someone say softly, tapping at his shoulder gently. Even though he felt it, it didn't seem entirely real to him – none of it really did. He barely remembered their incident at the Alchemy Forge, and hardly remembered being on the Tuaparang's airship at all. For a brief moment, he thought perhaps none of it had really happened. That was how things were every time he'd slept as of late – vague and far away.

The grip on his shoulder tightened, as it was shaken gently. The voice called his name again, summoning him back to the present. He shifted, vaguely remembered that Matthew had been trying to ask him something as he had been dozing off, though the question had been ludicrous, if he had really heard it right.

"Mmm," he muttered, without opening his eyes. "Not sure… Maybe green…"

He heard a girl's giggle, which got him to open his eyes finally. Karis stood before him, smiling broadly, her hand firmly grasping his shoulder, which he realized was there partly to support him, not only to try to awaken him.

"What? What about green?" Karis asked, still smiling.

Amiti shook his head; sleep still plaguing him as he rubbed his forehead with his free hand.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I must've dozed off. Is it morning yet?"

"No, it's probably an hour or so before dawn. You and Tyrell were the only ones who managed to actually doze off, lucky you. I'm going to be so tired when we get there, and will probably be expected to do stuff too." she said as she stifled a yawn.

"Consider this, Karis," Amiti said, attempting to sit up straighter, though failing with the queerest expression. "At least you won't be entirely stiff and sore from sleeping against a wall on a tiled floor!"

Karis laughed, releasing Amiti's shoulder as she sat down in front of him.

"Spoken like a true prince," said Karis, grinning over at him.

Amiti sighed, the thoughts of being prince of Ayuthay shadowing over his expression.

"How I wish that I still were, Karis," Amiti said quietly, and Karis instantly regretted saying it. "For if I were, and Paithos were still king, none of this would probably be happening."

"I don't think he could've stopped this pandemic from coming," Karis stated flatly. "You've done nothing wrong, Amiti. Stop trying to blame all of this on yourself."

"I'm not," he said indignantly. "It's only that… I've had second thoughts about being king…"

"You mean you've considered abdicating?" Karis asked incredulously, her violet eyes widening.

Amiti shook his head violently.

"No, you misunderstand me," replied Amiti. "I was meaning that I don't think I am worthy of the throne. Ayuthay should not have been given to me –"

His voice trailed away, finding himself unable to finish his sentence. The concept that Alex was his father had been eating at him ever since he found out the truth, and he so badly wished to speak about it with someone, yet he feared that no one would understand. He'd already spoken to his nurse's daughter, Lia, but she was different: that hadn't been entirely out of choice, as she had pressed the issue onto him, and already Amiti was feeling a little bit regretful about opening up with her as he had. He always had felt that Karis was the most understanding out of the entire group, and thought that this was the perfect opportunity to tell her. To tell her the whole truth. If only he could muster up the courage to just do it…

Amiti began to open his mouth to say something, yet closed it, fear managing to win him over. How could he tell her if what he were about to say would make her and the rest of the Adepts hate him forever? He had already vowed to himself only recently that he'd never tell any of them, though as time went on, he found this promise harder and harder to keep. The prospect of telling someone was sorely tempting, especially in moments like these.

Karis touched his hand lightly, a touch that sent a strange sensation down Amiti's spine. If he shuddered more than internally, Karis hadn't seemed to notice, for she watched his emerald green eyes carefully, her violet ones calm and concerned.

"—Because what?" Karis pressed him.

"My father," Amiti replied at last, in barely more than a whisper. "I am not what everyone thinks I am. I'm not the blessed miracle that I had grown up to believe I am to serve Ayuthay, but rather the bastard son of the princess."

Karis shook her head, her soft green bangs falling gently into her face.

"You mustn't say it like that," she said firmly.

"But that's how I feel." Amiti protested.

"I understand why you'd feel like that, and I know it must've hurt to… fall from grace like that," Karis paused, wondering if she had phrased that correctly, or if it really suited the predicament. "But there's nothing wrong with you, Amiti. And you _are_ deserving of the throne. You're still of royal blood. Princess Veriti was your mother, and to rule, that's all that counts."

"Even so," Amiti muttered, turning his gaze from hers, "It still does not make anything right. My father was a horrible man."

Karis considered the young king for a moment.

"You don't know him."

"I know him enough," Amiti shot back. "I know enough of what he's done to know what he must be like. I don't want to know anymore about him than I already do."

"Amiti," Karis said carefully, as though knowing that she was hitting a sore spot with what she was about to say. "Have you ever… Well, _considered _who your father might be?"

"No," he lied. To anyone it would've seemed quite obvious, for how did Karis possibly imagine that he _hadn't _wondered who his father was? Ever since he learned that he _had _one, it was a thought that had constantly been in the back of his mind.

"Well, because I've been thinking it over, and there's really not that awful many Water Adepts out there – especially ones that are powerful - So it really got me to thinking…"

"Please," Amiti said, raising a hand to stop her. "I don't really wish to speculate who he could be. It just makes it worse."

"I'm sorry,"

While honestly, Karis couldn't imagine how contemplating who his father was could make anything worse than it already was – unless of course Amiti already knew and wasn't happy about it.

They both sat there in silence, neither of them looking at the other. Amiti had already been given many openings to come out and tell her, yet he found himself resisting each time. Just when he convinced himself that he'd take the secret of his father to his grave, he'd look into Karis's violet, caring eyes and reconsider. Karis was kind, and very understanding, surely she would still accept him, and perhaps the others possibly would too.

"Karis—" Amiti began as he drew in a breath nervously, mustering the strength to tell her, until the sliding door opening interrupted them.

The two of them glanced over, and in strode two Tuaparang soldiers, clad in dark armor from head to toe. Due to their helmets, it was virtually impossible to make out their faces. One roughly grabbed Karis by the arms and thrust her on her feet. Amiti rose quickly to avoid the same fate, though he still had been shoved into Karis mercilessly nonetheless. He so terribly wanted to speak back and quote to them how inconsiderate their behavior was, even if they were prisoners, but thought perhaps this wasn't the best time or place for him to lecture them about prisoner etiquette.

"Come on, all of you," one said gruffly, gesturing towards Matthew and Tyrell who sat in the corner of the room as he walked over to Rief, ensuring that he too would follow.

"Where are you taking us _now?_" Tyrell snapped, apparently not taking being suddenly woken up all too well. "And where's Kraden? Why didn't you goons bring him back?"

"Tyrell!" Karis exclaimed, truly shocked by the way that he spoke to the already aggressive soldiers. Not that she should have been very surprised, as Tyrell always had the tendency to be quite blunt – to the point of being rude.

One of the Tuaparang soldiers chuckled darkly.

"You'll meet him soon enough. Now, come! Quickly!"

Karis hoped and prayed that Tyrell wouldn't repeat his question, and thankfully, he didn't.

They were led down hallways of the massive airship. Amiti had never seen such technology before. Though _The Dark Matter_ was quite possibly used as a battleship, the interior was immaculate. It looked as though it were suited for a king. He wondered if perhaps the High Empyror traveled aboard this vessel often, due to its lavishing decor. He hadn't noticed while talking to Karis that the ship was no longer in motion, signifying that perhaps they had landed on the Zenith Isle.

"That was probably the reason she woke me up," Amiti thought dully. "I'm sure it wasn't only to speak with me."

For some reason, Amiti was really dreading arriving upon the isle – he wasn't altogether certain why. Perhaps because he visualized a place similar to what Weyard had been during the Grave Eclipse and didn't think he'd be able to withstand its dark forces for long. He'd already not felt the greatest ever since that attack in Tolbi and had lost all of his psynergy. Though most of it sprang back to him, he still felt as though he were lacking some.

"Is The Dark Matter the only airship that the Tuaparang possesses?" Amiti asked a soldier, trying to start friendly conversation.

The soldier merely glanced at him, without responding in the least. Amiti stopped trying to start a conversation or a mutual relationship after that.

They were led up a flight of stairs and onto the main deck, where two familiar, yet faces in which they dreaded, awaited them.

"Hello, how was the ride?" Alyss asked in a sugary sweet tone, her smile obnoxious. "I'll bet none of you have ever ridden in the air before."

"Actually, I have," Karis replied coolly, as Amiti stared at her in awe, remembering the incident back in the Alchemy Forge, and was amazed that she'd dare speak up to the general again. "I have flown a Soarwing, my father –"

"Ah, but that's very different, I'm sure," Alyss replied, frowning at the young Jupiter Adept. "I meant a vessel, I wasn't expecting you to go by _technicalities…_"

"Let us depart," Jedite broke in, perhaps trying to avoid a potential fight between the two females aboard. "You will be anxious to know that Kraden has already been escorted to the palace."

"Palace? We're going to a palace?" Tyrell asked, in such a dumb fashion that Matthew had actually nudged him.

Jedite grinned widely, exposing his exceedingly white, straight teeth.

"Yes," he replied coolly. "The Umbra Palace where his Excellency, the High Empyror resides as well as all of the staff. The old man has been taken in to speak with the High Empyror."

"I thought we were supposed to be there to protect him," Rief said, disappointment filling his tone. "You're failing to live up to your end of the deal."

"Oh, shut up, you nerd," Alyss said, shaking her head. "We haven't failed to do _anything_… yet."

"But we will fail something if we don't get you down into the prison cells," one of the Tuaparang soldiers sneered, grasping Rief by the collar and dragging him forward. "Which set of cells, Generals?"

Alyss and Jedite responded almost at the very same time, only with very different responses.

"The east ones," Alyss told him.

"The west end," Jedite said simultaneously.

They both looked at each other, anguish written cleanly on Alyss's face.

"How many times must I tell you that _I _am the one in charge of this operation!" she exclaimed, nearly causing the soldier beside her to jump with surprise.

Jedite shook his head and grumbled something that wasn't entirely understandable to them, but from what Amiti could make out, he had the suspicious feeling that he was cursing her.

"Take them to the east wing's dungeons," Alyss said firmly to the Tuaparang soldier. "Tighten security thoroughly so that they _cannot _escape." seeming to put a lot of emphasis on "cannot".

The soldier nodded, and continued to pull Karis along mercilessly. One soldier made a motion for Amiti, but the Mercury Adept swiftly moved in towards Karis, to avoid that sort of treatment. Matthew ducked as one made a motion to grab him by the collar and looked up, meeting Alyss's eyes sharply.

"You never said we were going to be treated as prisoners," Matthew said coldly.

Alyss laughed, staring down at the Venus Adept with an amused expression.

"Actually, I only agreed to take you with us. It was you who failed to specify _how _in our agreement!" she said, smiling gleefully.

"Yes, meaning we can treat you however we deem fit." Jedite replied, his eyes flickering with entertainment.

"That's not fair," Rief said lowly.

"And hey, what about our parents here?" Tyrell demanded loudly, pulling free from the Tuaparang soldier who had been holding his arm up until that point. "You said that if we brought Kraden to you that you'd give them back! So do it!"

Alyss turned to him, her smile widening. Matthew knew what that look meant, and Amiti nearly flinched by the indecency of the name Matthew chose to address her by.

"You LIED to us!" he roared, causing several Tuaparang soldiers to make their way over to restrain him from lashing out at Alyss, as he would've likely done. "You never had them, did you? DID YOU?"

"Calm yourself, boy," Alyss said, looking at him dismally. "Really, I would've thought that you'd known how the Tuaparang work by now, considering you dealt with them plentiful in the past." She paused, looking at him thoughtfully, a finger tapping her chin. "Sheesh. I know that you took after your father in possessing the Earth element, but by the way you're acting I would've easily assumed that you were a Fire Adept. Your mother is one of those, isn't she?"

"Don't you dare speak of my mother!" Matthew growled through gritted teeth.

Alyss merely threw her long pale blonde hair back, nodding towards the Tuaparang soldier beside her.

"Make sure that _this _one doesn't give us any trouble," she muttered, barely opening her mouth. "And if he does, don't hesitate to lock him up in the Chamber of Doom."

She then turned to the others, who all avoided her gaze.

"Now, I hope everyone is thinking back to the words that we shared in the Alchemy Forge," she said, slowly pacing among them. "For you'd do best to cling onto my every word – for I meant each and every one of them. Cause any trouble for us, and you will regret the day that you were born. And I mean it."

Jedite clapped his hands to get their attention, and then pointed to the side of the ship, which had a ladder extended to the ground.

"Take them," he ordered flatly.

The Tuaparang soldiers hastily led the adepts over to the rail, where Karis was prompted to swing her leg over and climb down. She glanced down the long, narrow metal ladder in which she was being ordered to climb, where in the darkness she couldn't even make out the bottom. She shook her head.

"I won't be able to climb anything unless you unbind me." she replied, glancing up at the soldier that held her.

The soldier grumbled, and then with his psynergy, melted the chains away.

"Nothing funny," he said to her. "Just so you know we have about twenty troops down there, that would easily outnumber even the great "children of the Warriors of Vale.""

"It would be wisest to leave off the sarcasm," Amiti said, as another soldier melted away his own chains, leaving the handcuffs still intact around his wrists, though at least now his arms we no longer bound together, making the climb possible. "I think you have done enough as it is."

"Well _excuse me_, your royal highness." the soldier replied sarcastically, laughing as he gave Karis a nudge forward.

Amiti moved a hand towards her, but the Wind Adept still appeared to remain quite stable, as she swung a leg over the side rail, grasped the ladder firmly with her gloved hands, and made her way down. A soldier pointed his sword at Rief, who in response held up his hands as he backed up to the rail.

"Alright, alright. I'm going. Don't need to get so violent about it!"

The soldier harrumphed, but didn't say anything to him. Amiti then moved forward quickly after Rief's head disappeared from view, knowing that he'd get the point of the sword next if he didn't hurry – he'd seen that was how the Tuaparang soldiers worked by now. He carefully swung one leg over, gaining his footing on the ladder before swinging the other over. As he did so and was preparing to grasp the sides of the ladder, Tyrell was flung into him, causing the ladder to sway as he lost his balance terribly. He managed to recover fairly quickly, and began slowly descending into the darkness below.

As he descended and the sun began to rise in the sky, the misty shadows seemed to only increase around him. It wasn't until he were only a few feet from the ground that he noticed the terrible shadows in which engulfed the entire Isle – It was exactly as the Grave Eclipse upon Weyard had been: swallowed in darkness, depriving you of any light that you may have, weakening you until you can no longer bear it. Fatigue slowly began to seize his muscles, as he climbed deeper and deeper into the shadowy plague. There was nothing to do about it now, they were already there – only he wasn't sure how long they, or Kraden, would manage to withstand it.

At the last step, Amiti jumped down, only to find his whole world swarm before him. He must've actually swayed, for he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He recognized the grip, and didn't need to turn around to know that it was Karis.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied, turning around to face her. "I suppose the dark psynergy here has merely caught me by surprise."

Karis nodded gravely, then looked down, her hand still remaining on his shoulder, though he obviously didn't need the support of it now.

"I'm guessing this is what fuels them," Karis said bitterly. "Same as the way the Eclipse down in Weyard energized them - this has the same effect."

Tyrell jumped down beside them, having almost the same reaction as Amiti did.

"Whoa, did anyone else feel that?" Tyrell asked, holding a hand up to his head. "I'm sensing some major dark forces here."

"It's alright, Tyrell," Amiti said quietly, not really wanting to engage the rage of the soldiers nearby. "I'm sure you'll get used to it." Though he didn't honestly believe that they would at all.

Matthew followed Tyrell at last, making his leap onto the grass swiftly. He didn't seem to sway, or be thrown off balance, but only looked around at the ground frowning.

One of the Tuaparang soldiers looked over at them mildly.

"Alright then, you all here?" he asked them.

They all seemed to nod in response.

"Very well, then follow me," the soldier replied, turning to face the northwest.

No one put up an argument. They knew that even if they did it wouldn't do them a whole lot of good anyway. Slowly, they made there way across the grassy fields and deeper into the shadowy isle.

Most of the Adepts were quite tired at this point. Only Amiti and Tyrell had managed to catch some sleep while on the Dark Matter, and even though it were only for a few hours, it definitely showed: the two seemed much more refreshed than the others had been. Rief was probably the one most notably tired. He kept stumbling, and whenever he'd speak he would stutter a lot, as though fumbling for words. Tyrell felt sorry for him, and probably would've offered to carry him had he not been so drained from the shadowy plague – not to mention the fact still remained that Rief wouldn't allow himself to be carried even if Tyrell offered.

They all treaded through the dark, grassy fields, making their way down steep hills as they went. The weeds were terribly high, and the overgrowth made it impossible to merely walk through. In order to successfully get through it without falling the adepts found that they practically had to march all the way there, which was something that exhausted them even more than they already were. At one point, Rief got his foot caught in a thicket of vines, falling nearly flat on his face. Instead he fell into Tyrell, catching him for support. The soldiers began to curse about having to stop, while Rief fumbled up an apology, untangling himself from the vines.

"This is already such a treacherous path," Karis said impatiently. "You can't blame him for falling. You shouldn't have brought us this way."

"No other way," the soldier said. "Now, get up! We haven't got all day, you know."

Amiti didn't point this out, but he had a slight suspicion that the soldiers were more anxious to return to the Umbra Palace to get some sleep, not because they were particularly anxious to follow orders.

As they turned a corner, the very peaks of stone towers slowly came into view through the thick fog that engulfed the isle. Following the towers down to the ground, the rest of the massive building could slowly be made out, and it didn't take long for them to realize that this indeed were the Umbra Palace – just as dark and desolate as everything else had been upon arriving on the isle.

They marched up to the thick, iron gates where two Tuaparang men stood guard. They each braced a thin, long spear that had to be at least seven feet in height. One of the soldiers that had led the Adepts stepped forward, offering one of the guards a sheet of paper.

"Orders from General Alyss," the soldier said lowly. "She told us that we'd do best to hurry."

The guard swiftly read the note, and then looked up at the five Adepts dismally.

"Who _are _they?" he demanded. "The Empyror only asked for the old scholar."

The Tuaparang soldier shrugged.

"Not entirely sure. I think they're Adepts."

"They _think?_" Karis whispered, clear out of earshot from the soldiers.

"Very well, move along." the guard said tiredly, waving a hand to his accomplice to raise the gate.

He nodded, tapping the bottom of his spear on a stone slab. After he did so, the groan of metal against metal could be heard, and thegate slowly began to rise. The Tuaparang soldier tightened his grip on Karis's arm, and urged them forward.

The walk up to the castle had proved to be much more pleasant than their walk up to the gates had been. There was no overgrowth or hills to worry about, but instead had a smooth, paved road to follow.

Amiti glanced down, watching his feet as they continued down the path, towards the monstrous palace, and down to prison cells that they may never leave. He had narrowly escaped an imprisonment in the Ouroboros several times now, abandoning his kingdom in doing so only to surrender to the Tuaparang. Everything that he had done started to become meaningless to him. He thought he would've been much better off had he stayed in Ayuthay – at least that way he could've fought for his people, fought for adepts, and at least die heroically – not idiotically. And that way, he would never had to have faced Alex, a man that couldn't be trusted – no matter how sincere he proved himself to be.

"But Kraden surely knew what he was doing," Amiti reminded himself subconsciously. Kraden was the scholar, after all, and was no foolish man. Why he wanted to be taken in still remained a mystery to Amiti. But for some reason, Kraden wanted it. Amiti figured that a step needed in order to reach their goal must lie within the Tuaparang – only he had no idea what it could be. As Alyss had obviously stated: they no longer possessed the Luna stone.

He shook his head as doubts of Kraden continued to flood his mind again; only he hadn't noticed that he'd caught Karis's attention.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

Amiti met her eyes briefly before nodding, only to turn away quickly after he did so. He still wasn't entirely convinced that Karis didn't know how to read minds, as she claimed that she didn't.

They reached the palace at long last. It was quite magnificent, only the sight didn't entirely impress them, only instead it filled them with dread and fear. It was an ominous place, with flags of the Zenith tribe held high and the raging shadows, which only seemed to cluster throughout the palace's borders. Luckily, the adepts didn't seem to linger there long, as the soldiers ushered them into a side passage, down a long flight of stairs. Torches lit up the way every so often, but still they found it incredibly difficult to see. They couldn't make out anything beyond only a few feet in front of them. It was impossible to see where the stairs ended, and for as long as they had been descending them, they thought that they would never end.

At long last they reached a prison. It was a long, narrow hall that contained many barred cells along the walls. The prison was made entirely of stone, with no windows in sight. Although they were underground, Amiti doubted that this was the reason why the prison lacked them. The room did indeed appear to have tight security. Any hopes of an escape were immediately washed away upon seeing their new resort.

Karis looked at the soldier inquisitively.

"Are you going to split us up?" she asked him.

"I'm going to have to," he replied. "Unless you all don't mind sharing one small, cramped cell."

"We don't mind it." Rief spoke up, probably not wanting them to get more split up than they already were. "Right, guys?"

"Wrong," Tyrell retorted. "I want a bed!"

"You can _have _the bed, if it means that much to you," Matthew told him impatiently, and then turned to face the soldier. "We'll take one cell."

The soldier shrugged, walking over to a cell and unlocking it.

"Suit yourselves," he muttered. "Just don't cook up any funny plots in there together – remember that it'll only cost you your lives."

"We won't forget," Amiti promised, hoping the guard would just hurry up and leave them, as he was rather anxious to discuss their predicament with the others, and see what they had come up with.

The soldier swung the cell open, allowing them in before slamming it shut again.

"Hey, when are you gonna send Kraden in?" Tyrell asked him, grasping the bars tightly until his knuckles turned white. "Didn't you guys say you'd send him in when he was done?"

"I have no idea what is going on with the old fool," the soldier sneered. "I only work here."

And with that, he turned to leave them, locking the door to the dungeon behind him.

They were unguarded, but with the door locked and security devices at every corner, there was hardly any way they could escape. The bars were quite firm, Amiti had gauged that much when they had first been locked in there. With no windows, and no way to break out of their cell, he came to the terrible conclusion that they were trapped until they could get help from the outside… If it ever came.

Amiti rested his head against the wall that he had been leaning against.

This certainly had been a terrible week.

~(*)~

The sun had risen to its peak, shedding light on the darkened Zenith Isle, which seemed to be engulfed and fed off of dark alchemy. To anyone passing by, the sight of it would do more than send chills through you, but would probably have you running, as fast and as far as you could flee.

The man wrapped in a cloak sighed. He hadn't missed this place. After leaving it several months ago, he had very high hopes of never seeing it again.

Yet, here he stood, at the very edge of the Umbra Palace's gates, awaiting his golden opportunity to break in. He quite likely could've been granted entry, but he didn't want to risk it just yet; besides, he felt that his presence being unknown was essential at this point.

His eyes darted over to the east end of the palace, where all of the Tuaparang's air vessels resided: The Dark Matter had returned, so they had gotten the wise, old scholar after all. Otherwise, he doubted that Alyss would have the nerve to show her face at the Empyror's doorstop without him. Although he had to admit, that act would've indeed been foolish. He didn't think that he'd dare it himself.

The clock in the courtyards chimed nine times, causing birds to soar out of the trees and into the clear, morning sky as the Tuaparang men guarding the gates got up to leave and switch shifts.

"Perfect," the man thought. "Now I'll be able to get through if I just…"

At that very moment, he felt the metal of a blade rest against his shoulder, interrupting his thoughts. The shadow of a man clad in armor cast over him.

He glanced up, to find himself face-to-face with a Tuaparang soldier. Though the man couldn't read the soldier's expression due to his helmet, he could tell by his demeanor that he wasn't happy to find him.

"Who are you?" the soldier demanded. "And what business do you have here?"

The man stood up, brushing debris from his thick, navy cloak made of a material similar to velvet.

"I wish to remain anonymous," the man replied. "And I'm here in regards to the High Empyror's sacred task."

"Oh?" the soldier asked doubtfully. "And tell me 'Mr. Anonymous', what might this task of his be?"

The man laughed coldly, causing the soldier before him to shift irritably.

"Surely he's informed you of the great plan? No?"

The Tuaparang soldier stood frozen on the spot. The man grinned behind the hood of his cloak: exactly the reaction that he'd been hoping for.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking – about—" the soldier said, letting out a grunt as he found the blade of a sword slide clean through his stomach. The man gave it a good turn just to be sure he'd done the job, and removed his blade.

He casually wiped the blade of his sword with a handkerchief, as he surveyed the scene around him mildly. No one else had seemed to notice the interaction between him and the soldier, so to his knowledge his presence was still unknown. He rather hoped to keep it that way.

"Foolish," the man muttered under his breath, looking at the soldier dismally. "If only you had paid a bit more attention to what your superiors had attempted to teach you, brainless idiot. But ah well, we all couldn't be smart in the world, otherwise Weyard would just not go 'round."

He looked up, smiling up towards the sun. Today had so far been a very fine day.

"High Empyror," he muttered under his breath. "Again you have played right into my hands. A mistake that I am convinced that after tonight, you will not make again."

**Author's Note:**

This chapter was incredibly hard to write! Anyway, more action will pick up soon, I promise!

At this point, I'm about halfway through the story. There's still a whole lot more to come, and soon things will get a bit more interesting.

I'm trying to figure out when I want Sveta and Eoleo to come into the story. I originally had it planned out one way, but because I changed something in the past, I'm wondering now… You might be seeing one of them sooner than you think ;)

Anyway, I'd love to know what you think of the story thus far. Any feedback or criticism that you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!


	18. Alex Returns

Chapter XVIII:

Only two sounds broke the silence of the prison – The drip-drop sound of a leak in the wall, as the droplets of water hit the stone floor and accumulated into a puddle before leaking through the crevasses and spreading throughout the rest of the dungeon, and the droned out sound of Tyrell's snores. Normally they all would've loved to give him a good kick to silence him, but in the eerily silent prison cell, they actually found it to be comforting.

Amiti sat in a corner, his head rested against the wall as he stared up drearily at the ceiling. There wasn't much to be seen there, though there really wasn't much to be seen in general. Anything worth looking at had already been observed for hours, and he didn't want to stare at any one person for long – he knew that to be quite rude. So there he was, staring up at the ceiling, _waiting_. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for at this point, though he found that there wasn't much else to do but wait. Wait to die, wait to live, or wait for a miracle - one that would probably never come.

He let out a sigh and turned his head to glance over at Rief, who fell asleep curled around his satchel beside him. The kid had been so tired that he hadn't even bothered to remove his glasses. Amiti briefly contemplated removing them for him, but resisted. He'd hate to run the risk of waking him.

As the hours of monotonous silence wore on, Amiti was beginning to feel regretful for falling asleep back on the Dark Matter; it would've done much better to be sleeping then rather than to be sitting there on an empty stomach, listening to the silence drone on and on with nothing but dark thoughts to cloud his mind. Try as he might, Amiti found that he couldn't stop feeling pain over Alex betraying him. For one brief moment since his beloved uncle died, he felt as though he wasn't alone. He _did _have a father – and one that seemed to care for him at that. Alex had seemed so sincere when he apologized to Amiti, and when he said he wanted to be in his life; to correct all of the wrongs that he'd done to him and his mother. He'd been so hopeful, and so relieved… Relieved to finally find his father, and for him to actually care about him, and then Alex had up and left him to the doom of the Ouroboros. Why had he done that, Amiti wondered furiously. He still couldn't figure it out, and had half-wondered if the other mercury adepts and Kraden couldn't have been mistaken. Perhaps Alex hadn't gotten away, and had indeed been taken in. He didn't think that Alex would've been able to teleport just yet; like himself, his psynergy had been drained dry. Unless Alex could replenish his immediately, which wasn't impossible, he didn't see how he could've teleported. But mainly, he couldn't see why he would've teleported _without him._

He shook his head, his aqua blue bangs falling into his face as he did so. He felt his hair was terribly greasy from not having been washed in days – it bothered him _greatly_. Partly from his upbringing, Amiti was a very strict bather, and hated un-cleanliness. Even if he missed one day without bathing, he practically had a fit. He thought that he'd probably driven all the other adepts crazy when they all had been traveling to end the Eclipse together, and Amiti insisted that wherever they stop to be sure that it'd be some place where he could get cleaned up.

Amiti glanced over towards the others sitting in the cell alongside him. Matthew sat in the corner opposite of him; his head drooped low as he slept soundlessly.

Just as he thought to attempt falling asleep once more in hopes of breaking up the monotonous imprisonment, he heard someone stir, a sound that stood out very much due to the deep silence, and glanced over. Karis, who had been sleeping near the very center of the room, slowly sat up, rubbing her face with her cuffed wrist.

"Good morning," Amiti said softly, so as not to disturb the others. "Or I should say, good afternoon."

Karis glanced over at him with puffy, reddened eyes, and then stretched. She looked around the room mildly before meeting his eye.

"Really? I slept that long?" she said, stifling a yawn. "It really didn't feel like I slept for more than an hour. What time is it?"

"Honestly, I haven't the slightest inclination," said Amiti. "But for as long as we've been sitting here, I'm presuming a very long time."

Karis laughed softly, picking herself up off the floor as she went over and joined the Water Adept. She sat against the wall beside him, pulling her knees up to her chest. Amiti felt warmth rise up into his cheeks, unknowing of why, but he smiled at her nonetheless. It was certainly nice to at least have company to talk to.

"I'm sure it probably seems like a long time after watching the ceiling for hours." she commented mildly.

"Oh, that," Amiti muttered embarrassedly, as he turned his face away from her. "So, you must've been watching me."

Karis laughed lightly, brushing her hair from her face with a hand.

"For a little while," she admitted. "But, can you blame me? After all, there _is _nothing to do here."

"You're right about that,"

"So…" Karis began, her voice trailing off as she struggled to find a topic to discuss. Amiti remained silent as well, for some reason feeling unable to speak to her either. He was unsure of why; as he was very fond of Karis, and knew that she was a kind, understanding and fun person and it troubled him that he felt as though he could never open up to her. Even during their travels to end the Eclipse, he found difficulties in trying to speak with her. Whenever he got up the nerve to it seemed as though he could never have a detailed, in-depth conversation with her. He'd only been able to remain on the surface – just as he had on the Dark Matter. Whenever he'd try to go any farther – he found that he just couldn't. It seemed as though Karis didn't share in the same issue. She was willing to share anything about herself so long as Amiti would, as he remembered many times that Karis would go out of her way to _find him_ alone so she could actually speak with him one-on-one, but he'd always managed to find ways to squirm out of it. Now, he was feeling a bit regretful for doing so. He wished that he didn't feel so uneasy around her.

"How old were you when you first learned how to use a sword?" Amiti inquired, taking a stab at trying to bring their friendship to a more personal level, though he wasn't entirely sure if he'd manage to achieve it. He figured at least he had one thing on his side: since he was imprisoned - _he couldn't escape._

Karis's eyes widened with surprise, seeming to be slightly taken aback by his question, and for a moment Amiti regretted attempting a personal conversation at all – though he couldn't really see how asking her how old she was when she learned how to use a sword as all that personal. She then smiled at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"I was ten," she said, her eyes glazing over as she reminisced over the event. "My father was never good with swords, so he hadn't wanted to teach me. But I also think part of the reason that he hadn't was that he didn't want me to grow up as a warrior. He wanted me to have a simple, normal life. One that a typical female would lead."

"Who taught you then, if not your father?" Amiti asked her.

"Isaac did," replied Karis. "He's really excellent with swords, and a great teacher. Matthew also helped to teach me, as his father had been working on him a lot longer than me."

"Oh, that must've been nice," Amiti said quietly. "Learning amongst others, I mean."

"It was, only I wish I could've learned more. I still don't think I'm a very good swordsman."

"I think you're a fine one," Amiti said, nodding towards her. "Well, swords_woman_, I mean."

Karis shook her head.

"No, compared to you, and Matthew, and even Tyrell, I suck." She gave an airy laugh, as though trying to make light of it.

"No, you don't. You're over-analyzing yourself," Amiti spoke up. "I've seen you in combat myself, and you were brilliant. To be honest, I think you would rival even me."

"No, that's _definitely _not true!"

"Yes, it is. Really. If you don't believe me, go ask Matthew. I'm sure he would agree. My sword skills aren't top notch either."

"I thought they were great!" Karis exclaimed, staring at the Water Adept dismally. "You did amazing fighting alongside Matthew and all the others – Don't degrade yourself."

They both stopped, looking at each other seriously for a moment, before the two broke out laughing, both realizing the ridicule of their argument. It had been such a long time since Amiti had laughed with anyone, and he couldn't help but notice that it certainly felt good. He wiped a finger at his eye, and then turned to face Karis again.

"I was thirteen when I was given my first fencing lesson," Amiti told her. "And believe me when I tell you it went over _terribly._"

"Why? What happened?" Karis asked enthusiastically, now sitting to face him directly.

"Well, I-" He blushed slightly, feeling grateful that the room was dimly lit and probably impossible for Karis to have noticed. "I've actually never repeated the story to anyone, not even my Uncle Paithos. He had asked me how my training session went, only I said fine."

Karis smiled in a teasing way towards him.

"Well, come out and tell me! That was a _long _time ago, mind you. So anything embarrassing that you'd done is something of the distant past now."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," he admitted, still feeling a bit stupid about revealing the story to Karis, the girl that he could never speak about anything personal to. "Well, it was my uncle's general that trained me. I had been begging to learn how to use a sword for quite some time by then, only my uncle refused it. It wasn't until my thirteenth birthday that I was given a sword as a gift that my uncle reluctantly agreed. I would have preferred he to train me, but he was too busy at the time, so I took anything that I could get. That was when his general offered to teach me."

He continue to retell the story to her, how his first lesson had been such a flop, and that his uncle's general said that after that day he'd never attempt to train him _again_.

"Our ancient trees are very important to us in Ayuthay," Amiti explained to her. "So when I, er – rather _missed _the target and chopped off the limb of our most sacred one, the general was very mad at me. _Very_."

He'd even told her how he'd been afraid and actually hid, which got Karis laughing hysterically.

"It wasn't right that he got so mad that you chopped a limb down," said Karis. "It was your very first time with a sword, he should've been understanding. Or at very least, he shouldn't have had you training right next to the tree."

"Well, that is the thing, Karis…" Amiti replied lowly, "We weren't _near _the tree, exactly."

"Uh… Oh…" Karis said, covering her mouth to stifle her laugh.

They had spent what seemed like hours talking, and Amiti found that he thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. It was really much easier to speak with Karis than he had imagined. That was, however until Karis asked him a very difficult question, one he hadn't detected coming, "You know, I thought you didn't like me."

Amiti's green eyes widened with surprise.

"Didn't like you? What ever gave you that impression? I have always liked you, Karis."

"Well," Karis said, looking down at the stone floor, and Amiti could've sworn that he'd seen her blush. "It seemed like whenever I tried to talk to you, you'd always abruptly leave, or change the topic and discuss the weather, or just try to avoid me altogether. I thought you really wanted nothing to do with me."

"I –" Amiti began, pausing as he thought over what he wanted to say carefully. "I apologize, Karis. I didn't mean to cause you to feel that way. It's just… hard to get to know me, I suppose. I've never really had many friends outside of Ayuthay, except for Baghi. And I suppose I just have a very hard time relating to people."

He knew this was a lie, but he knew he had to say _something_. He couldn't tell her the truth that he just plainly felt uncomfortable talking to her. That would've sounded awful.

Karis studied him carefully, and then nodded as she smiled over at him awkwardly.

"Well, I'm glad that you've finally broken out of your shell and are willing to talk to me now," she said softly. "You're a very interesting person, Amiti."

Amiti raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Interesting, you say?"

Karis grinned. "Not in a bad way or anything. You just… have a fun personality, that's all."

"Fun personality…"

"It's a compliment," Karis said, leaning forward and patting his shoulder, "trust me."

"Yeah, if Karis said it, then it must be true, she's a woman that speaks her mind." spoke up a voice from across the cell, causing both Amiti and Karis to jump.

Matthew had woken up, and made his way over to them, stretching before sitting down in front of them.

"So you two are finally talking… And _you _were so afraid, Karis." he teased, grinning over at his friend.

Karis blushed a darker shade of red at this, as Amiti was careful to avoid her eyes, not wishing to embarrass her further. Instead, he looked over at Matthew.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked him dully, not sure where else to begin his conversation with the Venus Adept at this point.

Matthew shook his head.

"I don't know if I'd call what I just did _sleep_, Amiti," Matthew said, rubbing the back of his head. "More like shut my eyes and listen to the maniac snore, and that dripping! Who left the faucet on?"

Amiti chuckled softly, pointing over to a corner in the prison.

"There's obviously some leak coming from somewhere. I've been noticing it for some time as well."

"Figures," Matthew muttered under his breath. "We're going to drown down in here. Just the way that I've always wanted to go."

"You speak too hastily," echoed a sharp voice from somewhere within the prison, catching all three Adepts by surprise, waking up Rief in the process.

"Huh? What'd you say Matthew?" the young Water Adept asked frantically, pushing his glasses up his nose and looking around wildly, apparently not fully awake just yet.

Matthew frowned as he looked around the prison, searching for a source to the voice but found none.

"Who's there?" he ordered, slowly rising from the floor. "Show yourself!"

No one came, and silence again resumed briefly until the voice spoke again.

"That leak may very well be what saves your lives."

Almost as suddenly as he uttered this, a man wrapped in a thick, velvety traveling cloak appeared in the center of the room. Although his face was hidden in shadow, it wasn't hard to decipher that the man was looking directly at them. He threw a part of his cloak back, revealing more of his white clothing underneath as he did so.

"Hello again, my young Adepts," he said cheerfully, though a tone of sarcasm filled his voice.

"Who are you?" Matthew demanded, staring at the stranger with such malice that it shocked Karis; Matthew was always so shy, calm, cool and collected. His sudden outburst was quite out of his nature. "And what do you want with us?"

"I would've thought both things to be obvious," the man said, lowering his hood to reveal long locks of aqua blue hair. He shook them out of his face, and then brought his turquoise blue eyes to meet with the Venus Adept's.

Rief was the one who let out a slight groan.

"Not _you _again, Alex," he said. "Haven't you already caused us enough trouble?"

Alex smiled, looking over towards Rief gleefully.

"In the end, you'll be happy that I showed up," he told him. "For it will be helping you escape _and _take you a step closer to solving the puzzle of the Psynergy Well."

"Don't trust him," Amiti said lowly, staring at the elder water adept with an odd expression mixed with uncertainty and grief. "He lies. He's with them, the Tuaparang. He's been lying to everyone to get what he wants."

Alex considered him for a moment, and then shook his head.

"I thought we've already been through all of that, Amiti. Back in Tolbi where we got separated, do you recall?"

"You lied to me," Amiti stated flatly, without any emotion to his tone in the least. "You lied to me from the beginning, though I'm unsure as to why. For I could've helped you, if you hadn't abandoned me the way that you did."

"Wait a minute," Matthew said, turning to Amiti. "You mean you've seen this creep somewhere else _before _all this?"

Amiti nodded slowly, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"And you were going to help him?" Rief asked incredulously. "That's nuts! Why would you do that?"

"Forget why you'd help him," Matthew interrupted him, staring directly at Amiti at this point, attempting to will him to look him in the eye. "But why were you with him to begin with? That's what I'd like to know."

Amiti felt the color rise up into his cheeks, fear striking his every muscle, as he still didn't dare look up at them. How could he tell them the truth now? Especially after he'd already lied to Karis. They had been getting along so well too; if he told them the truth now, she'd likely never give him another chance to befriend her.

From outside of their prison cell, they could hear Alex clear his throat, attempting to catch their attention once more.

"I'm sorry, I suppose Amiti hasn't had the opportunity to fill you in on our little doings together," Alex said facetiously, throwing Amiti a spiteful glance. "I'm honestly amazed that you'd drop an alliance like the drop of a hat…"

"No, you did first," Amiti said pointedly, looking up to meet the eyes of his father once more. "You said that we'd work together to end the pandemic, and you lied to me. You left me to those Kaocho soldiers that were wanting to kill me!"

"Huh? What?" Matthew asked, looking back and forth between Alex and Amiti confusedly. "You guys were going to try to end the pandemic together?"

Alex paid the Earth Adept no heed, as he stared down at Amiti with a blank expression.

"I didn't leave you to anyone that wished you harm, my dear boy," Alex replied. "I left you with other members of the family that I thought would do well in taking care of you until we were graced with the opportunity to meet again. There was nothing left that I could do for you."

Amiti blinked, still not breaking his gaze from Alex's.

"What family?" Rief broke in. "Could someone fill me in here?"

"You – knew that they were coming?" Amiti asked him blankly, feeling suddenly sick to his stomach.

Alex threw his hair over his shoulder as he eyed Amiti impatiently.

"Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't have left you there. That would've been just the same as if I murdered you myself. While even though I can be a dishonest man, I could never shed my own blood."

"Your own blood?" Karis asked incredulously, glancing over from Amiti to Alex, then back again. "Wait a minute, you don't mean…"

Alex glanced over at her with mild surprise, and then his eyes darted back over to Amiti.

"You haven't told them yet?"

"Tell us what?" Rief asked impatiently. "It certainly seems as though you've got a lot of explaining to do."

"We haven't been able to grasp onto a single word," Matthew grumbled. "Please explain."

Alex crossed his arms, staring at Amiti in disbelief, a look of both shock and pain etched on his face.

"Well, I certainly am surprised at you. Leaving your friends in the dark like that. I do apologize, I didn't mean to let the cat out of the bag for you," he said darkly. "I really thought you would've told them by now, unless of course you're concerned that they'll no longer be able to accept you?"

A chill coursed through Amiti, only it wasn't from the cold. He wished this all weren't happening. This was definitely not the way that he had intended to tell them, if he ever even chose to.

"I'll go ahead and let you tell them. After all, they're _your _friends." Alex took a step back so as to remove himself from the conversation.

Amiti looked at all of them uncertainly, meeting each pair of eyes with distrust.

"I – I am sorry," he muttered at last, "I really had wanted to tell all of you sooner, only I was too cowardly to –"

"Alex is your father, isn't he?" Karis asked him quietly, relieving him of the obligation of doing it himself.

Amiti, refusing to meet her gaze, nodded. Rief let out a slight gasp, shaking his head it disbelief.

"No, it can't be," Rief said frantically. "Alex is really your— father?"

"It makes sense," Matthew admitted, his tone remaining flat and unable to be read. Amiti refused to look up to read his expression; he really didn't want to know what they all thought.

"I missed something," Tyrell said with a yawn, looking over at the group of Adepts huddled beside the bars as he sat up. "When did _he _get here? And who is who's father?"

"Tyrell, do us a favor," Karis said slowly, trying to keep her tone calm. "And please shut up. Don't act stupid right now. Amiti just told us something very important."

"Like what?" Tyrell asked, leaping off the bed to go join them.

"_Tyrell_!" Matthew hissed, as Tyrell obviously didn't get the point.

Tyrell merely shrugged, making his way over to them, hoping to be able to catch on eventually.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rief asked in a slightly offended tone, which stung Amiti like shards of ice.

"I am sorry, specifically to you, Rief. I suppose this affected you more than anyone," Amiti said, meeting the eyes of his cousin briefly before Rief broke away. "Although I'm still uncertain on how I feel for Alex being my father, I still am very happy to have you as a cousin."

Rief didn't respond, but only now had his back to him. Amiti watched his cousin somberly, wishing he could find the right words to comfort him, but then thought perhaps this just came as a bit of a shock to Rief, and that the best thing to do was possibly just to give him time to think it over and allow it all to sink in.

"Amiti…" Karis began, watching him with saddened violet eyes. "You've known this all along… haven't you?"

"No really, Amiti. Why _didn't_ you tell us?" Matthew asked him.

"Tell us WHAT!" Tyrell bellowed, quite impatient by being left in the dark at this point.

Amiti looked over at all of them, a mixture of fear and uncertainty taking over his demeanor. He didn't know the best way to respond except with more apologies, which he knew wasn't what his friends were looking for.

"Alright, enough with the small talk, although I'm sure you all have plenty to discuss on the matter," Alex said impatiently, taking his position to the front of the bars once more. "More importantly, at the moment, is to discuss your escape."

"You're going to really get us out of here?" Tyrell asked in disbelief. "Why would you do that?"

Alex rolled his eyes, looking over at the Fire Adept lazily.

"I don't have time to rehash _why_. Ask your friends later."

"How do you plan to get us out?" Rief asked in a rather stiff, indifferent tone as he avoided Alex's gaze entirely. "And after we're out, what do you want us to do then? What about Kraden?"

"Kraden's safe, and will remain so until the High Empyror gets the stones to the Psynergy Well and solves the riddle of the ancient tablet, only I don't think Kraden has the ability to read it like the High Empyror is thinking..."

"The ancient tablet?" Matthew inquired. "You mean like the one that's in Lemuria?"

Alex watched him out of the corner of his eye.

"I believe we're talking about the same one."

"Kraden already knows what it says," Rief informed Alex. "It was written in ancient Lemurian text, and Piers was able to translate it for us."

"You have Piers working with you?" Alex asked with mild interest. "Lovely."

"Besides, I thought the Empyror would like the things that Magnos is trying to do," Karis added darkly. "After all, it only involves _more _darkness."

"Your wrong, my young Jupiter Adept." Alex replied casually. "On two things: One being that the lack of psynergy isn't associated with darkness in any way. Dark Adepts cannot live through the depletion of psynergy any better than true elemental Adepts can; and two being that it's not only the legend of Magnos that has caught the High Empyror's interests."

"What has then?" Matthew asked him.

Alex shifted his cloak, avoiding Matthew's answer entirely as he proceeded on with his own conversation.

"I do believe I know why Kraden wanted you all to come here," said Alex. "His full intent being in using Matthew, but didn't want to ask him alone to come to the Zenith Isle. He knew that it'd be dangerous, and that it would take more than just Matthew's talents alone to find the ancient tablet."

"The ancient tablet?" Karis asked slowly. "But, it's in Lemuria… Isn't it?"

"Hmm, since you don't seem to be following me at the accurate pace, allow me to explain more thoroughly," Alex threw back his cloak, watching Karis with a critical eye. "Piers can read many ancient texts, yes, and the text in which most of the tablet was written in was ancient Lemurian, so naturally, Piers could translate it. However, to ensure the safety of the psynergy well and the two stones, ancient Lemurian wasn't the only tongue in which the tablet was written in."

"So, you mean Piers wasn't able to translate the whole thing," Rief said disappointedly. "There's still a lot that we must not know."

"Yes, and no," said Alex, glancing over towards his cousin. "The tablet that was held in Lemuria was all in ancient lemurian text. It was, however, missing its upper portion that describes the locations of the stones, the part that's written in another foreign tongue – one in which I believe there's only one living person to this day that can read it."

Upon this, Alex looked directly at Matthew. Matthew's eyes widened in surprise.

"Me?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes, you."

"But, I don't understand," Matthew said, shaking his head frantically. "How do you expect me to be able to read it? I don't know any ancient texts—"

"Actually, Matthew," Karis interrupted. "You do."

Matthew blinked, meeting Karis's eye.

"Remember the book of Ancient Glyphs that we got back in Konpa Ruins?" Karis reminded him. "You were bestowed with the gift of reading their ancient text, and that's probably what the rest of the tablet was written in! Right?"

"Precisely. You do catch on remarkably fast," Alex said.

It all began to make sense to Matthew. Of course, that was why Kraden wanted them to come! Only he couldn't ask for Matthew specifically, it would look suspicious, and Kraden probably didn't want the Tuaparang members to know that he could read the ancient glyphs, so he asked for all of them to follow along. And also, like Alex had stated, Matthew probably couldn't manage to sneak through the whole of the Tuaparang alone.

"But, I still don't understand _one _small thing," Tyrell said slowly, causing the group to sigh.

"WHAT, Tyrell?" Karis asked irritably.

Tyrell shook his head.

"What I don't understand is why _he's _telling us all this, and is going to help us escape! After all, he _is_ with the Tuaparang itself," he said, pointing a finger directly at Alex. The elder Water Adept shook his head.

"I have disassociated myself with the Tuaparang," Alex replied after a moment's pause. "Our objectives differ, and as many of you know, I prefer to work solo. But either way, this pandemic is killing all of us, and imprisoning the rest. At this point, I have decided to set aside my differences with you people and simply choose to work together to end these darkened times while we can; and I'd highly advise all of you to do the same."

Matthew hesitated, as he glanced over at Amiti, though Amiti's gaze remained rooted to the ground, refusing to look up to meet anyone. Matthew then nodded towards Alex.

"Sounds reasonable. But you'd better not be up to any tricks, Alex. We won't tolerate it."

"Yeah, don't underestimate us," Tyrell said hotly. "You saw how we flattened the Tuaparang before."

"And I'm counting on you to do it again," Alex finished for him. "I'm glad that we have that little dilemma solved. Now, it's only a matter of breaking the five of you out of here and getting Matthew into the treasury to read the tablet."

"That sounds… tricky," Rief said slowly.

"It will be," Alex said, rolling up his sleeves. "But, if everything goes according to plan, we should all be well on our way in ending the pandemic by tonight."

"That's the first comforting thing I've heard since we were first captured," Karis said, letting out a sigh. "Is this _really _doable? This grand plan of yours?"

Alex's turquoise eyes glittered with amusement as he met the gaze of the young Wind Adept.

"I certainly think so."

**Author's Note:**

So, Amiti's friends finally know the truth! Or at least… most of them. The hardest ones to tell know at any rate! Do you think I've got everyone's personalities fairly accurate? I'm finding Karis and Amiti's relationship to be quite a challenge to write, as at this point in time their relationship is rather complicated. Amiti's sort of struggling to determine what position Karis has with him, and discern his true emotions for her, whist at the same time Karis is a bit 'charmed' by the young king, but she has always wanted to get to know him better. I hope I'm getting it down okay so as it doesn't feel entirely random and rushed. The next chapter will become a bit more 'stormy' ;)

Anyway, I'd love a review. If you've got the time to leave one after reading all my nonsense, I'd really appreciate it! I love constructive criticism, and I know I need it a lot! Any comments you may have would be greatly appreciated, even small ones.

As always, a big thank you for reading! Even to all of you who don't review, I'm still glad you're reading and *hopefully* enjoying the story just the same! If I hadn't seen as many hits as this story has still been getting throughout the chapters, I might not have managed to progress the story up to this point. Really, thank you. It means a lot to me to know that there's people interested in my story!


	19. Raindrops on the Wind

Chapter XIX: (I think I'm stopping with the roman numerals after this point, as I'm starting to get confused ;P)

Alex was a mysterious man, and nearly impossible to figure out. One minute, he was your worst enemy, and the next your best friend. He'd turn on you in an instant, then come right back to your side. The friends that he managed to obtain were quite peculiar as well; not in the way that they shared his bizarre personality traits, but in the way that they didn't seem all that 'worthy' of being his friend. Some of his friends were quite… strange. Amiti didn't know how some of them managed to end up even being a 'friend' to Alex, but wondered if part of it had to do with being kept under good terms so that they may become useful later.

He assumed that this must've been the case with the Gondowan slave dancer, Marishka. Otherwise there was nothing to be found in the poor woman except for harassment – which he _knew _for a fact wasn't the reason that Alex kept her around.

Except tonight she had use. It was amazing that Alex possibly kept a good relation with the slave dancer for this event, but as it was well known amongst all of the Adepts, it was hard to understand him - and everyone soon gave up trying. All they knew was that he was helping them to find the stones, save Kraden and get out of there, and as far as they were concerned – that was all that mattered.

After Alex broke them out of the prison cell, they stole away through the stonewall that apparently had a leak where water had been dripping through. It wasn't a wall at all, but in fact was only a compilation of stones stacked up in such a fashion as to represent a wall. Alex had obviously known this, and so, they had managed to escape with ease. The young adepts somewhat wondered what the soldiers were going to do once they found out that they escaped, but Alex said he wasn't worried about that – he didn't think they'd come to check on them until after tonight.

"What's tonight?" Karis asked suddenly as Alex silently led them up a long, dark stairway to yet more basements of the Umbra Palace. "I've heard you mention it more than once so far. Is something significant taking place or something?"

The elder Adept didn't answer for quite some time, his eyes fixated on the path ahead of him as they reached a winding hall paved with yet more stones, with rooms left and right of them.

"I'll tell you in a bit," was all that he said.

"I'm tired of you thinking you're better than everyone else," Tyrell complained loudly, causing Rief to jump beside him. "Stop with the enigma and just tell us what's going on!"

"Tyrell! Stop it!" Rief hissed, grabbing the arm of the furious Fire Adept. "We aren't technically supposed to be wandering down these halls, you know! Someone could hear you!"

"Well, that's _his _problem, isn't it?" Tyrell snapped, pulling his arm away from him, "and besides, how do we know that he's really helping us? For all we know, we could just be helping _him_, ready to be discarded at any given moment."

"We haven't got much of a choice, Tyrell," Matthew said lowly, his eyes unblinkingly fixed on the stone floor. "At this point, our best chances lie within trusting him."

Tyrell opened his mouth to argue, but closed it again as he found Matthew's statement to be sound. As he couldn't help but agree that it were true: out of everything, it really was their best option, and if Alex spoke any word of truth, the possibility of just ending this pandemic was quite high.

"So, who is this Marishska that you're taking us to?" Amiti asked him, breaking the silence of their long walk down the dark, stone passageways. "Did you say that she was a slave?"

Alex let out a sigh, not turning to face Amiti as he responded.

"A slave from Kibombo, yes. But she didn't start out that way. She's the daughter of their Witch Doctor, or in other words 'chief,' Akafuba, and she was brought here as an offering of peace for all of Gondowan."

"Huh?" Rief asked, shaking his head in attempts to make sense of it all. "He'd give his own daughter as a peace offering?"

"Her hand in marriage in the Tuaparang's courts, yes, to create some kind of alliance between them. You see, at that time the Tuaparang was invading the Gondowan region, and had begun a war with the people of Kibombo and surrounding tribes. So, in order to end it they offered up _her_… It's a very long story, far too long for me to go into details with now. Let's suffice it to say that they're very cultural people, and their rituals and ideals of life are - how to best phrase this - extreme at times."

"But still," Karis protested. "Who would risk their own daughter's life just to obtain peace in their country? It's ludicrous."

"They're a people that are dedicated to their culture," Rief replied simply.

"No, the people of Ayuthay are _very _dedicated to their culture," said Amiti, shaking his head. "But giving away their own daughter is barbaric! Culture has nothing to do with it!"

"Anyway," Matthew said loudly, attempting to speak over the lot that was currently arguing over cultural matters and the definition of the word itself. "How did she end up a slave?"

"It's a long story," Alex repeated, opening a wooden door and allowing the Adepts inside. "One that I, regrettably don't care to repeat. But never fear, Marishka isn't the only Gondowan slave that the Tuaparang possesses. The Tuaparang is quite fond of their dance, and so the High Empyror ordered another dozen Gondowans to be brought here for entertainment purposes only."

"Only for entertainment purposes!" Karis exclaimed, and this time it was Tyrell who had to remind her to keep her voice down. "That's awful! Who _is _this High Empyror anyway?"

"A pirate, probably," Amiti muttered bitterly.

"Okay, everyone, here we are," Alex announced, coming to a halt at last upon a wooden door that was frayed in many places.

He knocked timidly, as they all stood there, rooted to the spot, unaware of what awaited them, or why they were really there. At last, a short, slender woman came to the door; her black hair was put up in curlers, and her make-up only half complete on her face. She wore a simple white gown with nothing on her feet, as she eyed Alex harshly, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, Arcanus!" she exclaimed, though her tone didn't hold joy as though meeting with a long lost friend as Alex claimed himself to be towards her. "I thought you had been executed… What can I do for you?"

"Marishka, my dear. How long it's been since we have last seen one another! How are you?" he asked in his most caring, compassionate tone, as he offered out a hand to her. She merely glanced at it, and then looked up to meet his gaze once more, disregarding his offering entirely.

"What can I do for you?" she repeated, and this time her voice held impatience. "If you came for nothing than a casual hello, then you'd best be on your way. You know that the High Empyror has guests tonight, and that it will require a feast – and a performance. So, if you want nothing, you'd best leave me to my preparations for tonight, I'm rather busy –"

"Yes, you see about tonight…" Alex said, and then paused, glancing around them as though to be sure that no one could overhear them. "I have a business proposition for you, Marishka, and I think you'll like it. Do you mind if we step inside to discuss it?"

Marishka rolled her eyes, as she studied the other Adepts that remained behind Alex.

"Who are _they_?" she asked pointedly, nodding in Matthew's direction. "I'm not obligated to allow just anyone into my room that I don't see fit, Arcanus, even if I _am _a slave."

"Please, Marishka, I need your cooperation. Just hear me through, alright? If you don't like it, I'll simply be on my way, though I know that you would not refuse."

"You'd be surprised what I might refuse you," she said sharply, opening the door slightly wider. Alex grasped the door firmly and jarred it open, allowing himself inside.

"You're a doll, Marishka, thank you."

The slave dancer merely glared at him, but didn't prohibit the other Adepts from entering.

"And he called this woman his friend?" Amiti thought to himself, watching her look at Alex with such malice and disgust. "I wonder what he did to her to cause her to hate him so…"

After Matthew entered behind all of the others, Marishka shut the door behind him, leaning against it with a sigh, a stray lock of wispy black hair finding its way out of its curler and onto her face. The room they had entered was quite small, with no grand furnishings in the least. All that could be seen was a bed in the far corner that was in no way top shape, a dressing table with a cracked mirror nearest to the door, and a table with a set of chairs on the opposite side of the room. A trunk rested at the foot of the bed, presumably used for storing clothing, and several posters were nailed to the walls, mainly of symbols and designs that the Adepts were unfamiliar with, but could presume that they had something to do with her tribe.

Alex seated himself at one of the table's chairs, while Marishka's gaze still followed him, not relaxing in the least.

"Come," Alex coaxed. "Will you not even come sit with me?"

She hesitated, but slowly made her way across the room and sat opposite of the Mercury Adept.

"That's better," Alex said, offering her a warm smile. "Thank you."

"Now, tell me Arcanus… What do you want?" she demanded, her thick accent making it complicated to understand everything that she was saying.

Alex calmly smoothed out his navy velvet cloak, as he took his time in responding.

"First, I owe my friends an explanation," he began, turning to face the Adepts that stood alongside the table.

"You see, you were brought to this Isle, quite conveniently, on a very special day to the Zenith Tribe. It was on this day," His eyes darted towards Marishka for confirmation, yet she offered him none, so he continued. "That the Zenith Tribe was established and the High Empyror was made their leader. To commemorate this day, each year they hold a festival, and well – I'm sure all of you have been to a festival so you are familiar with what takes place."

Some of the Adepts nodded.

"A feast," Rief offered.

"A ball," Karis chimed in.

"A boiling?" Tyrell suggested, a statement that only received harsh looks.

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Gee, it was only a suggestion," he said defensively. "After all, that's what Belinsk does during a festival. I thought maybe they were gonna boil Kraden or something."

"Yes, Rief and Karis were both right," Alex interrupted, ignoring Tyrell entirely. "There will be a feast, and there will be dancing. Only, not the typical dancing that you would normally find in a ball." He then looked at Marishka upon this, tilting his head slightly in her direction.

"The Gondowans are obliged to perform," Amiti said quietly, realization suddenly hitting him.

Alex nodded.

"Yes, they will be performing tonight. Now, Marishka, I am trying to formulate a way to get Matthew here," he began, gesturing towards Matthew at his left side, "into the treasury. I considered using brute force, but that won't necessarily work. We'd be greatly outnumbered if we brought the whole of the Tuaparang to our attention."

"I am a slave, Arcanus, not an escape artist," she sneered. "I can't help you formulate ways to get prisoners into treasuries."

Alex raised a hand to silence her.

"Please, I haven't gotten there yet," he said lowly, and then returned to his what seemed to be pep rally. "I've deducted that I cannot disguise Matthew as a soldier, as no soldiers are even allowed past the sentry guard –"

"Then why not dress him up as a sentry guard?" Marishka interrupted.

Alex closed his eyes as he drew in a deep breath, as though he were losing his patience, yet he fought to keep his voice calm as he spoke.

"No, that will not work. I must remove the sentry guard."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" she asked. "Do you just intend to walk right up to him and silence him? You have that ability at your disposal, I'm sure."

"Yes, I could," Alex said irritably, "but that would create quite a scene and attract much attention. No, I'm trying to do this in such a way so as to not be noticed. No soldier is allowed within that restricted section of the palace, with the exception of a written order. Your Gondowan dancers, however, pass through there with ease in order to reach the basements, so… Instead of a brash, head-on assault caused by soldiers, who would assume that two dancers, coming from the great hall, would suddenly lash out and attack him?"

Marishka's eyes widened with surprise, as they suddenly flashed dangerously, her hands clenching tightly into fists in her lap.

"Arcanus, no," she said lowly. "I _will not _be attacking anyone for you. You're on your own."

"No, no, no! You _still _won't hear me out, Marishka! I don't want _you _to attack!" he exclaimed, shaking his head frantically. "Besides, it'd do no good anyway. No offense my dear, but I will need Adepts to attack the sentry."

Marishka blinked.

"None of our dancers are Adepts-" she said slowly.

"Not _yet _anyway," Alex stated, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

Marishka tilted her head, watching the Water Adept with a blank expression.

"I don't get it, Arcanus."

Alex grinned broadly, exposing his exceedingly straight, perfect teeth as he gestured towards the adepts beside him.

"These will be our dancers for tonight."

"What?" came from both Karis and Mattthew, as well as Marishka.

"No, they can't be dancers," Marishka said frantically, waving a finger at the Adepts. "They have had no training! No practice! They don't have the right stature. They- "

"I think we could work all of those problems out," Alex said, still smiling. "And this young woman here has the most elegant dancer's legs I've seen in a very long time. Again, no intentions of offending you, Marishka, but they would rival even yours."

She looked enraged upon this, as she looked Karis up and down sharply.

"Alright, she _does _have the build for a dancer, but she's the only one! Only! Will she alone be able to attack this sentry for you? You're not making any sense, Arcanus."

"I never finished," Alex replied, leaning back slightly in his chair. "What I was originally intending was for Matthew and perhaps possibly _Karis _to perform in tonight's show –" Alex glanced over at Karis here, but she chose not to interrupt, despite the displeasure plainly written on her face. "Then once the performance is over, they could both casually leave the great hall through the side entry; the one that's nearest to the east wing. All they would have to do is head down towards the basements and end up at the entrance to the treasury. It would be all too simple."

"No, it wouldn't," Karis said, shaking her head. "Because I'm _not _dancing!"

Matthew stood there rooted to the spot, wearing a pained expression on his face. It was quite obvious that he didn't wish to participate either, but he knew that his choices were limited, and Alex was right: if everything went according to plan, and he could actually manage to make it _through _the dance performance, then it would indeed be all too simple for him to make his way into the treasury and read the tablet. Finally, Matthew nodded.

"Okay, I'll do it," he said, as he withdrew a deep breath. "But I don't know how to dance."

"That's where my dear Marishka comes into play," said Alex. "We have at least six hours before the show, why not teach them the routine? It looks fairly simple."

Marishka scoffed at this.

"Simple? Oh, Arcanus, you've no idea. The dance is anything but simple."

"But can it be done?" Rief asked hopefully. "Will you help us? It's really, really important that we make it into the treasury tonight, you see."

Marishka's dark brown eyes darted towards Rief's turquoise ones briefly before they flicked back to Alex.

"What's in it for me?"

"I was waiting for you to ask me that," he said, his lips curving into a grin. "In return for you providing me with dancer's costumes and teaching them the routine, I will grant you… your freedom."

Marishka nearly fell from her seat. A hand ran up to her rollers, as her eyes widened in great surprise.

"You – can't be serious – Arcanus… really?" she gasped, her eyes unmoving from Alex's turquoise ones. "After all of these years of my enslavement…"

Alex nodded.

"Yes, you would finally be free."

Marishka could only stare at the table for a long moment, until she shook her head, breaking out of her daze.

"Do you even have the power to do it?"

"Karis will take your place tonight at the performance," Alex replied simply, "while you wait on the airship with me and the others."

Marishka glanced over at Karis, and then shrugged uncertainly.

"I don't know, Arcanus…"

"Please, how could you refuse _freedom_, my dear? As you said, after all of these long years of your enslavement, you will finally be able to return home to your family. I'm sure that must at least sound tempting?"

Marishka thought it over long and hard for a moment, before nodding.

"Okay, I will help you."

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

"But I want you to promise me that you will ensure my safety until you bring me back to Kibombo."

"Listen," Alex said, raising a hand. "Let's remember that _I _am not the one that brought you here. Your people did, if I recall correctly?"

Marishka stifled a sniffle at this, turning her back to them as she rose from the table and made her way across the room.

"It was something that they had to do," she replied stiffly, as though she didn't wish to discuss it, "but that is my final offer: Take me back to Kibombo, and I will help you. Deal or no deal?"

Alex ran his tongue across his teeth, contemplating her offer for a long moment, and they all knew Alex well enough to know that he were debating how he would manage to worm his way out of this one. Though to most of their surprise, he didn't attempt to.

"Alright, have it your way. I'll take you back to Kibombo, but then we part ways. I will have _no _responsibility on what your people choose to do with you after that."

"Fine," Marishka replied with a nod. "It's settled then. We must make haste if we're to get these Adepts ready for the dance tonight. I'll still need to find them costumes, and then they have to learn the routine still – at least they're all fit and in shape for the job. If they weren't, we'd be in big trouble."

"Look," Karis said, taking a step forward. "I want to help you, Marishka. Really I do, but you see… I don't want to dance. I can't. Not in front of all those people."

"But Karis," Alex interrupted, standing up and taking a step towards the Wind Adept, "without you, who will replace Marishka? After all, the Tuaparang knows exactly how many dancers will be there. There will be no way that Marishka will go unnoticed unless another female were to take her place. So, in other words, you'll have to dance, or the entire agreement is off and Marishka doesn't get to go free… You wouldn't want that, would you?"

Karis closed her eyes, not appreciated the guilt that Alex was laying on her, yet she knew that what he said was true – Without her, the plan could not go on.

"I'm a _warrior_," said Karis bitterly, "not a dancer."

"Your father would be proud," Amiti muttered softly, smirking over towards her.

Karis glanced up at him sharply.

"What?" she demanded, not sounding amused in the least.

"Well, you told me that he didn't want you to be a warrior…"

"That's _different_, Amiti. Totally different. Don't pretend to understand things you don't know," she said harshly.

Amiti bowed his head, not wishing to set Karis off farther as the young Wind Adept then faced Marishka, her violet eyes holding a fierceness that was not normally present.

"What do we have to do?" she asked with a sigh.

Marishka beamed, patting Karis on the shoulder.

"First, I must teach you and Matthew the Gondowan's traditional greeting –"

Karis sighed; this was going to be one _long _night.

~(*)~

The preparations for that evening did not go as smoothly as they had planned. For one thing, they had to change up who would be performing once Marishka began observing them. It had been decided that Karis would play Marishka's role perfectly, for as Alex had stated, she had the dancer's legs and was the only female available. Matthew was originally intended to be the other dancer, until he tried on one of their largest costumes and decided – it was not going to work.

Matthew was one of the tallest members of their group, and happened to be taller than all of the other Gondowan dancers that would be performing.

"It would stand out," Marishka explained to him. "I don't think that would be… wise."

This took a bit more planning on Alex's part, for the essential point of the plan was to get Matthew into the treasury, as no one else could read the tablet but him.

"Okay, let's do it this way," Alex said, after much thought on the matter. "Karis and one of the others will just have to steal the tablet and return it to the available airship where we all will be waiting."

"That sounds… complicated," Tyrell said, rubbing his chin. "Isn't the tablet like _really _heavy? Cause if you're picking one of the smaller Adepts to do the job, no offense to any of you guys, but they might have troubles moving it out."

"It shouldn't be much of a problem," Alex replied casually, waving a hand dismissively. "I don't think the portion of the tablet that the Tuaparang possesses is all that big."

Tyrell began to open his mouth again, and then shut it. Even if his advice were sound, he knew that no one would listen to him anyway. So for once, he decided to spare himself the agony of being scolded.

Tyrell was obviously a no-go for the dance. He was already taller and broader than Matthew, which wouldn't help matters in the least. Rief suggested he dance, but they found one major problem: his glasses. They discovered that Rief really _did _require them to see, as during their practice session Rief kept bumping into things and couldn't tell Amiti or Alex apart for the life of him. Alex shook his head dismally.

"This is _not_ going to work," he muttered under his breath.

That was when they decided, much to Amiti's dismay, that Amiti would fit the role better than all of the others could. He came to about the same height as most of the other dancers, perhaps only an inch or so taller, but the difference was insignificant due to the large headdress that he would be required to wear. His build was smaller and more slender than that of Matthew and Tyrell's as well, which suited a dancer better. Marishka also stated that Amiti seemed to have more of a 'dancer's grace' about him than Rief, though he wasn't entirely certain on whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.

They had practiced for many hours on end, until both Amiti and Karis were stiff and sore. Marishka had first demonstrated the routine for them, and after they tried it out, they discovered that they both had underestimated the work involved _greatly_. With Marishka being such a smooth, sleek dancer, it had been impossible to notice the true intensity of the footwork, or the balance that were involved in some of the motions. Their first attempts had been quite poor, and Amiti had actually crashed into Marishka's dressing table at one point, spilling over a bottle of perfume all over him, the table and the floor. Unfortunately for him, he hated the smell, but he couldn't do anything but smell like it until they were off the island – or until it wore off; whichever came first. Marishka seemed to be a little shaken up about the breaking of the bottle, even though Amiti had apologized profusely for breaking it. She'd called him a klutzy boy, and practically took back everything she had said about him possessing a 'dancer's grace'.

After those six hours of rigorous training, all of it was finally behind them, and all that remained was a quick change into their costumes and a long walk to the great hall; where they would have to stand before hundreds of people and perform a dance that was all too foreign to them, and hope that they'd pass well enough to be able to make it through the evening. Everything lied on their shoulders at this point, except for the saving of Kraden.

"Don't worry about him," Alex said, smiling when Amiti had inquired about the elderly scholar. "I've already gotten all of that worked out."

He didn't offer his plans, nor did Amiti pursue to ask him. He felt burdened enough with his own task that he didn't feel the desire to trouble Alex further. He just hoped that whatever it was would end up successful.

The costumes that Amiti and Karis sported were rather indifferent, and neither of them was particularly inclined to wear them. It reminded Amiti much of the traditional Ayuthayan clothing: only with a Gondowan flare that offended him. He didn't feel it right to wear an article of clothing that marked him with a nation other than his own, though he knew this was no time to argue – he had to do what was required of him, and if it meant dress as a traitor to his own country and own personal beliefs, then so be it.

The costume was comprised of a very large, heavy headdress that both the male and female dancers were obliged to wear. Amiti, having not expected it, was quite surprised by its weight; for it was much heavier than those worn in Ayuthay by the royals and other members of the Ayuthayan court. The attire was rather similar to the way of the traditional Ayuthayan clothing with nothing but jewelry and a long skirt. Amiti hadn't worn traditional Ayuthayan clothing since he had first left Ayuthay with the Adepts, and wasn't entirely thrilled with the thought of having to attempt to _dance _in an outfit such as that, but it didn't bother him nearly as bad as it could have; for he were partially accustomed to it.

He was loaded down with jewelry of all sorts, all adorned with artificial precious stones and false gold. He had nearly a dozen bangles up each wrist, and a rather large necklace that came very low down his chest, which bear some sort of symbol that Amiti honestly didn't care to know what it represented. Every last piece of the jewelry was gold, and though it was eye-catching, it wasn't in a pleasant way. He was grateful that he at least didn't have to put on any make-up, for that would've had to been the last straw for him.

He sat on the bed in Marishka's room, currently alone as he stared down at the frayed central rug that he hadn't even noticed being there until then. He closed his eyes, rehearsing through his mind all that they had practiced, all that they had learned, and struggled to remember the first parts of their performance.

"Oh well, perhaps it will not matter very much," he thought to himself, his eyes still closed. "For there will be other dancers there to follow."

His headdress rested beside him on the bed, having yet to put it on. It was quite heavy and it seemed to give him a slight headache, so until the moment came where he would absolutely have to wear it, he decided he was happiest without it.

There came a knock at the door, bringing him back to the present as Karis opened the door ajar.

"Are you dressed?" Karis asked softly, her gaze resting on the floor as she awaited his response.

"Fairly, you can come in," he said, glancing down at himself dismally.

Karis then entered in a glittery, form fitted turquoise gown. It was full length and sleeveless, with gold sequins adorning in from every angle. She too were laden with jewelry, all very similar to the same pieces that Amiti wore, save for the heavy necklace. Instead she were given an elegant pendant, and Amiti recognized it to be a symbol that had been on one of Marishka's posters, though he hadn't the slightest idea to what it portended to.

"Wow, you look amazing!" she exclaimed, shutting the door quietly, exposing her back that had yet to been covered. "I can't wait to see you in that headdress, will you put it on for me?"

"You've seen me in a headdress before, Karis," Amiti replied wearily.

"Actually," Karis began, taking a step closer so that she stood directly in front of him. "You look more like yourself like this."

Amiti raised an eyebrow, as Karis blushed and averted her gaze from him.

"I mean – the way that I met you. The Gondowan dancer's clothing; they based it off of Ayuthayan attire, did you know that?"

Amiti stared at her for a moment, and then shook his head.

"I had no idea," he admitted. "Though I must say they did a poor job of duplicating it: the quality is dreadful."

"They're poor, what can you expect? Real gold? Fine silks? Unlike Ayuthay, Amiti, the people aren't privileged."

"I know that," he snapped, and then fell silent.

Karis looked thoughtful for a moment, her dress silhouetting her figure elegantly. She then looked towards the clock on the wall, and back towards Amiti.

"I got the dress on but couldn't zip it, it's too tight," Karis admitted. "Could you… zip it up for me?"

Amiti stared at her for a moment before responding, and then briefly nodded.

"Of course,"

Karis sat down on the bed in front of him as Amiti fumbled to find the zipper down at her waistline, his fingers running against her smooth, pale skin. He couldn't help but notice Karis shudder at his touch, causing him to withdraw instantly.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "The touch of a Water Adept, it must be cold."

"No, no," Karis said, shaking her head. "It's not that – I mean, it's fine. Go on ahead, did you find the zipper?"

Amiti nodded, until realizing that she couldn't see him from the back of her head and responded, "I think so,"

He finally found the zipper, and slowly slid it upward, his fingers between her skin and the zipper so that she wouldn't get pinched. An odd sensation sprang up through his fingertips and into his shoulders as he did so, though it was a sensation which brought warmth through him – not cold or fear, as he would've expected. Finally, Karis broke the awkward silence, with yet another one of her difficult questions.

"Why didn't you tell me that you'd found out who your father was? Why did you lie to me?"

Amiti remained silent a moment as he contemplated his answer, his hand still lingering against the back of her neck though he had already zipped her dress.

"I – was afraid," he admitted quietly.

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that –" Amiti began, trying the fight the knot that was welling in his throat. "—you wouldn't - accept me."

"Accept you?" Karis repeated incredulously. "But Amiti, I already know you and have accepted you! Why would I need to accept you again?"

"I thought perhaps you'd see me differently, like Rief has," he muttered under his breath.

"Rief's another story," Karis said firmly. "He just found out that you are his cousin, and I think that alone was the real shock of it all, not that you're Alex's son. And if that really is what's bothering him… He's gotta think it over a ton, because that doesn't make any bit of difference to who you really are!"

"I think I'm like him," Amiti said quietly, causing Karis to turn around sharply to face him.

"What?"

"I've been studying him, and my own self, and I'm finding similarities between us. Small ones, but existing ones nonetheless. I am nothing greater than Alex is, only I pretend to be."

Karis could only gape at him.

"Amiti, give me _one _example as to how you're similar to your father…" she challenged.

"I prioritize what I want over what is best for my people," he answered simply. "I am selfish, I lie – though I try to keep it to a minimum, I still do it—and I left Ayuthay as their King when they needed me most. Tell me how my actions are _not _similar of those to him?"

"Amiti," Karis said calmly, shaking her head. "There was nothing that you could've done for your people. What you're doing now is for them, and quite heroic: You're trying to end this pandemic so that all Adepts won't die – and that alone will bring peace back to Ayuthay. Don't worry, not all is lost yet. I'm sure your uncle would be very proud of you right now."

"He'd shame me,"

"Stop," Karis said, resting a hand against Amiti's bare shoulder. "Bashing yourself isn't going to do any good. You are what you believe yourself to be, remember that. If you think you're cowardly and selfish, than that's what you'll allow yourself to become. But if you believe yourself to be a brave and courageous king, let me assure you that you'll get a lot farther in life. Trust me."

Amiti studied her violet eyes carefully, and couldn't help but feel comfort under their warm, mesmerizing gaze into his own eyes.

"You're very kind, Karis.," he said quietly.

"I'm trying to get you to understand a very important concept here," she said somberly. "Only I don't think you're getting it."

"I do," Amiti said, as he impulsively ran a hand through Karis's loose, pale green hair, "and I thank you."

Karis shivered slightly as his hand brushed against her hairline, though she knew it didn't have anything to do with the fact that he was a Water Adept. She leaned closer slightly, as she brought her hand from his shoulder up to his cheek, caressing it slowly.

Amiti's heart suddenly skipped a beat, as he watched Karis differently than he ever had before. He'd been under her gaze several times before, yet none of them felt as this one did then. Their flesh had met before, yet her touch send waves through him that he'd never experienced. His hand went from her hair to her neck, as he rubbed his fingers against her soft skin. For a brief moment, he felt the impulse to lean forward and kiss her, yet he attempted to fight it off, and instead whispered rather stupidly, later wishing that he'd chosen his words more carefully.

"You look beautiful in that gown."

Karis blushed a deep shade of fuchsia, yet not withdrawing from his grasp.

"Thank you," she whispered back, and Amiti could've sworn that she leaned in closer towards him, though it could've easily been his imagination playing tricks on him. "I just want you to know, Amiti. That no matter what sort of a king you are, or whoever's son you may be, I'll always, _always_ accept you…"

"I thank you, Karis," he said, his tone barely more than a whisper. "That means… _A lot _to me."

Karis smiled, and this time Amiti was sure that Karis had leaned closer in towards him, as their faces were now merely inches apart. Breaking the bliss, wonderful moment came loud knocking outside the door, causing both Amiti and Karis to jump apart. Amiti smiled at her sheepishly as she blushed, smoothing her hair back away from her face as she spun around to face the door. Marishka came striding in, dressed in traveling clothes: A dark colored dress with a matching traveling cloak. She looked over at them, apparently unaware of the discomfort that they both were under.

"Excellent! You both look splendid!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "With your headdresses, I believe that the two of you will pass as wonderful Gondowan dancers."

Amiti nodded. "I certainly hope so. Everything is counting on us to do well tonight."

"You've nothing to fear. Just remember everything that we went over this afternoon and you'll do fine," she said, studying them carefully, feeling pride over her accomplishment. "Now, you must hurry. The dancers are all congregating in the great hall. Surely you know the way?"

"I believe so," Karis said, raising her headdress onto her head slowly.

Amiti looked over at his headdress dismally; he'd almost forgotten about them – _almost_. He too lowered the headdress onto his head, walking over to the cracked mirror at the dressing table to rearrange it.

"I have to be going now," Marishka said from the doorway. "Are you two sure that you'll be able to handle yourselves out there tonight?"

Karis shot a glance towards Amiti, which he didn't respond to. She nodded, waving a hand dismissively.

"We'll do fine," she reassured her. "Thank you so much for your help."

Marishka nodded, beaming over towards Karis.

"And I thank you for yours." She waved a hand as she left. "Good luck!"

Amiti half-laughed after Marishka had left, causing Karis to glance over at him.

"We'll most certainly be needing it," he replied, turning around to face her with a broad grin.

For a whole minute they both stood there, rooted to the spot as they watched each other indifferently. Karis finally shrugged her shoulders, glancing over at the clock.

"The show's going to start soon," she said, more as a mild statement than anything.

Amiti nodded, offering his hand out to her.

"Shall we be on our way then?" he asked her.

Karis contemplated his hand a moment before grasping it, smiling up at him.

"We can do this," she said firmly, and with the strong defiance in her voice, Amiti couldn't help but feel reassured that they could.

**Author's Note:**

Okay, so this was my first romantic scene that I have ever written, and I fear that I made an utter fool of myself! Think I should still keep going with this, or was this attempt so terrible that I ought to cancel out the stormshipping concept to save myself the embarrassment? :P

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	20. The Festivities at Nightfall

Chapter 20:

Matthew sighed, staring Tyrell up and down dismally as the fire adept sat on the ground before him. Tyrell looked up at Matthew's expression and scowled.

"What? You look just as much Tuaparang scum as I do," Tyrell shot at him, pointing to Matthew's own suit of armor in which he wore. "Alex didn't tell us that we'd have to impersonate soldiers."

"There's a lot of things that Alex didn't tell us," Matthew muttered under his breath, holding a hand out to Tyrell, who gratefully took it and rose. "Though I'm glad that we're not solely relying on Amiti and Karis – While I'm sure they will do as best as they can, they're certainly not experienced Gondowan dancers in the least. I was surprised when we were going to be putting our entire fate into our hands."

"It's a ludicrous idea in my opinion," said Tyrell, shaking his head. "Honestly I'm surprised that Karis and Amiti decided to go along with it to begin with, or that Alex even cooked up such a plan. We could've stormed down there and just stolen the tablet ourselves, without having to make the pair of them learn those fancy dance moves. So what if we attract a little attention?"

Matthew considered his friend a moment, as he held up one of the Tuaparang helmets towards him.

"I don't think Alex thought we could withstand them," he said quietly.

Tyrell blinked, lifting his own helmet over his head.

"Why not?"

"Think about it, Tyrell," Matthew said slowly. "We're on their continent, affected greatly by the darkness overpowering it. While it weakens us, it strengthens them. It's sort of like the eclipse all over again and to be honest I wonder if Alex thought perhaps we couldn't stand a chance against them with their dark psynergy and our weakened elemental ones."

Tyrell harrumphed as he slid the helmet over head.

"Well, he was _wrong_."

"Maybe."

They both stopped and observed the hall around them. The Tuaparang soldiers that they had tackled for their armor had been safely tucked away in a spare closet, put to sleep with such a heavy dose of psynergy that there was no hope of them ever waking up before they were long gone from the Isle. Rief, Alex and Marishka were already gone to perform their part of the operation, while Amiti and Karis were doing theirs out in the great hall. While Matthew and Tyrell knew that their job wouldn't be entirely easy, Matthew figured that it was at least easier than what Amiti and Karis were going through. Having to put on a dance performance for hundreds of people would be no easy feat.

"While I don't like Alex's ideas either, I think he does know what he's doing," Matthew said suddenly, as though he'd been having a silent conversation with himself for some time.

Tyrell shook his head, shooting a glance over at the armored Venus Adept, being unable to make out his expression whatsoever due to his helmet.

"So, now you trust him," he said disbelievingly. "I can't believe it. Matthew, you've finally lost it. Completely off your rocker…"

"We don't have a choice, Tyrell," Matthew said bitterly, bending over to dust off his shoes. "At this point we're just Alex's pawns: It's just a matter of how he wishes to use us. But if we can get any gain from any of this at all - I'd suggest that we try."

Tyrell nodded, marching over to the door leading out into hall, still feeling quite unfamiliar with the heaviness and the immobility of the suit of armor in which he wore.

"Alright, let's get cracking on it then."

Matthew nodded in agreement, and followed his friend out into the main hall.

The main hall was relatively deserted, though Matthew hadn't expected much else. Music sounded from the great hall, so apparently the performance had already begun. Most everyone seemed to be in the great hall celebrating, and very few soldiers remained out there where Matthew and Tyrell resided. Two soldiers stood guard of the great hall's entryway, but that was all – no other soldier was visible for miles away; save for Matthew and Tyrell. Matthew felt the heat rush up into his cheeks; he hadn't thought that they'd be such an eyesore being the only few soldiers walking around the halls during the festivities. Obviously one of the guards thought so too, for he walked right up to them and inquired about it.

"Patrolling," Matthew said in a tone far from his own.

"I see…" the guard said doubtfully. "I don't remember any patrol duty being sent out during the festivities."

"It was a last minute decision," Tyrell said shortly, in a deep tone that nearly caused Matthew to crack up. "Now, I'd suggest that you get back to your post. I'd hate to be you if I were caught absent from it."

The guard crossed his arms.

"I don't know. I'm not convinced," he said dismally. "There's just something not quite right about the two of you…"

"There's something not right about YOU!" Tyrell shot back. "Really, interrogating us like that."

"Forgive him," Matthew said quickly, wishing so greatly that he could elbow Tyrell to shut him up. "He's… _new."_

"Oh, is that what it is?" the guard sneered, shooting Tyrell a glance that could've only been taken one way, helmet or not. "Then, best be on your way. I don't wish to trouble you."

"Well, thank _you_," Tyrell said sarcastically, while Matthew urged the Fire Adept forward coolly, not wishing to blaze a fire right here and then: This was, after all only the beginning of their operation, and they couldn't afford to screw up.

They passed the guards and continued to the opposite side of the Umbra Palace. Matthew had only seen the darker, more deserted and unkempt parts of the palace, but now as they were traveling through more mainstream areas, he had a very different take on it. Much like the airship The Dark Matter, the Umbra Palace was very immaculate in décor and very well kept. During his travels, he'd been through a few palaces and so far, this one excelled in extravagance, though Matthew couldn't help but wonder if all of the wealth came from The High Empyror's true earnings or stealth; though he thought the latter was more probable.

They ascended up through the western side of the palace, through halls that were currently unguarded, and past many doors branching off to other parts of the palace. They currently entered the west wing; or at least they hoped that they did. They couldn't be certain, for the way in which the palace was set up was rather confusing and it was difficult for Matthew to keep it all straight, even after looking at a map. Hopefully, at the top of the west tower they would find Kraden – though Matthew had his doubts on whether that information was truly legit or not – for it was provided by Alex's eavesdropping. Matthew inwardly cringed; he wasn't too keen on putting all of his faith into Alex either, but at the moment it was their best chance at surviving.

The moonlight shone through the stained glass windows, casting multiple colors across the floor and onto the opposite wall. The night was calm and pleasant, which almost made up for the terrible darkness that engulfed the floating Isle. Matthew and Tyrell continued to trek silently down the hall, their footsteps dulled by the soft carpet under their feet. Silence reigned all throughout the abandoned tower, with the only sound present being the rattling of their armor, and Matthew's own pounding heart that wrung up into his ears. He swallowed hard, attempting to calm it, but failed. He'd been on many adventures and missions before, yet none of them seemed so tedious as this one. And of course – he didn't know what awaited them, which only doubled the tension for him.

After climbing several flights of stairs, the impersonated soldiers reached the top of the tower at last, which left them in a darkened hall with only five doors branching off from it. No torches were lit; only the moonlight that shone through the narrow windows lining the ceiling lit the hall, casting a rather dim light around them.

"So, where'd you suppose they're keeping the old man?" Tyrell whispered, surveying the set of rooms. "Should we just start checking each one?"

"I thought Alex had said," replied Matthew, frowning slightly as he pulled out the map that Alex had hand drawn for him of the palace. It certainly wasn't the best map in the world, but to fit Matthew's needs of it, it worked.

Matthew squinted in the darkness, searching around for any word that Alex had possibly scribbled near the correct door, though he found it impossible to make out anything in the lighting that was available to him.

"Oh, here, let me help with that," Tyrell said, casting a fireball that floated several inches above his palm, casting an orange glow over Matthew's paper.

"Oh hey, thanks," Matthew said, leaning over towards Tyrell as he searched the map quickly.

Tyrell grinned with pride; sometimes his own cleverness amazed him.

"You two are no soldiers," a cold voice said lowly from the opposite side of the darkened hall. "For no soldier within our Empire has the ability to cast flames."

Tyrell, out of surprise, put his fire out, and glanced around the room wildly.

"Who's there?" the Mars Adept demanded, though no answer came.

"You've no right to sneak up on us!" Matthew called out into the darkness, yet still no one responded.

Matthew glanced over towards Tyrell as his friend shrugged, apparently not concerned about the presence other than their own within the hall.

"C'mon, the second room on the left was it-?"

As Tyrell said this, the two of them took a step back as they heard the clang of armor abruptly come towards them and a blade slashed the air clean in front of their faces.

"Tyrell! Fire!" Matthew shouted, and to his relief his friend understood what he meant without him having to spell it out for him. Tyrell cast a string of flames around them, floating several feet above the ground, illuminating the room for them. Directly before them stood a massive guard, quite nearly the size of Matthew and Tyrell put together, and the first thought that ran through their mind upon seeing him – was that this was no normal guard.

Though Matthew and Tyrell could now see their enemy, it resulted in the fact that their enemy could now indeed see them, as the guard swung his axe towards Tyrell mercilessly. Had he not ducked, his head would've been clean off his head.

Matthew withdrew the Sol Blade by its hilt, narrowing his eyes as he focused in on the enemy, searching for a vulnerable spot instantly as he observed him continue to strike out at Tyrell. The Fire Adept was quick on his feet, however, as he managed to avoid every blow that came his way, even so much as finding the opportunity to withdraw his sword and strike out at the enemy.

Matthew took a step into the battle, throwing his full body weight behind his sword as he leapt towards the guard, both hands grasping the handle of the sol blade firmly. Though he had thought the guard hadn't noticed him, apparently he had, as he moved out of the way swiftly before Matthew made impact, causing Matthew to crash onto the floor, his sword thrust in front of him. Matthew sat up as he let out a rattled breath, turning to face the guard, though the guard greeted his gaze with the axe charging directly at his head. He barely dodged it, springing to his feet within the same moment.

The guard fought vigorously, his timing very precise and his aim exceedingly accurate; He kept both Matthew and Tyrell on their toes, and while the two Adepts were wearing out, the guard still remained refreshed and energized.

Matthew took a step back as he slowly drew in a breath, closing his eyes as he did so. He extended his palms as he focused his psynergy. The burning sensation crept from his inner body as it extended through his arms and into his palms where a yellow glow emerged from them; he hadn't wanted to stir up so much trouble or noise by doing this, yet he felt no other choice remained: It was either use psynergy or become skeletons to rot down in the prisons.

He then shoved off his built-up energy, allowing it to leave the very surfaces of his skin as the golden light that had initially formed in his palms shot out to surround the enemy, building up and forming under his feet. The guard glanced down, but before he knew what was happening, boulders shot up from the very heart of the energy itself, bounding against the metal armor of the guard as he cried out in surprise. Tyrell took a step back, watching the scene with a mixed expression of surprise, relief and horror. Neither of the adepts took great pleasure in using their psynergy to harm others, particularly if they were human. But they did what they found that they must; no other options remained.

The light slowly began to die away, as the boulders dissolved into bleak nothingness. The guard staggered forward slightly, brandishing his sword menacingly, until he lost grasp of it, his sword falling at Tyrell's feet. He then collapsed down to his knees before falling flat on his face into the dust – all which remained of Matthew's Mother Gaia psynergy attack.

Matthew let out a breath as he sheathed his sword, not daring to look back down towards the guard. He caught Tyrell glancing over at him from the corner of his eye and offered him a weak smile, though Tyrell couldn't see it from behind his helmet.

"That was certainly close, eh Matthew?" Tyrell asked him.

Matthew nodded, not feeling the strength in his voice to respond.

"I certainly wasn't expecting that guard to be hanging out," Tyrell continued. "What was with that guy anyway? Why wasn't he out partying?"

"I was expecting us to find some guard of sorts," Matthew replied weakly, walking over towards his friend. "I just wasn't expecting something quite so… fierce."

"I've fought Tuaparang guys before," said Tyrell lowly, shooting a glance over his shoulder dismally at the fallen soldier, "but that one was something else. I've never seen one so energized or powerful before."

"I think they're all that way," Matthew said slowly. "They're energized by the dark psynergy around these parts. Maybe Alex knew this, and so knew that we can't attract too much attention to ourselves because we simply can't handle fighting more than one at a time."

Tyrell stood there silently, and Matthew could tell that Tyrell was thinking over what he'd just said.

"That makes sense, I guess," he admitted. "D'you think Amiti and Karis will be able to handle that sentry guard alright then?"

Matthew remained silent as he continued across the room towards the second door on the right hand side, pausing in front of it as he awaited Tyrell to follow.

"I certainly… hope so," was his response, as he gave the doorknob a sharp turn and opened the door swiftly.

~(*)~

The Mercury Adept peered from around the pillar at the two soldiers that stood guard at the hilltop, scowling under his breath. He had really counted on the fact that the festivities were being held that night and had been partially hopeful that security would've been much looser, particularly around the airships. His luck, however, hadn't held out. Alex let out a breath to calm himself, as he watched one of the soldiers pace their section. He hadn't counted on this - although he hadn't entirely not counted on it either. He expected that they'd run into hang-ups on the way, it was only a matter of deterring them without drawing a hell of a lot of attention – only he didn't think that was entirely possible.

He abruptly turned towards Rief, who stood at his left; the younger water adept's eyes wide with concern. Marishka stood by Rief's other side, looking perfectly serene and undisturbed in the least. After all, she was finally getting out of her enslavement, what did she care what sort of trouble Alex would have to endure because of it?

"How does it look?" Rief whispered as Alex drew himself fully behind the pillar, now invisible from the guards by the hilltop.

"They've got a couple of soldiers out there – not particularly brawny ones, though," Alex said mildly, as though this were something completely within the ordinary and should have happened. "I think I'll need a psy grenade… Could you find me one, my dear?"

He glanced over at Marishka expectantly, as she was the one who carried Alex's satchel of 'essentials', his essentials being weapons and other gadgets to aid their escape. Marishka tossed the bag towards Alex, who caught it awkwardly with his left hand.

"I don't know what a psy-thing is," she replied smoothly as Alex shot her a dirty look.

"I don't care –" he said shortly, and Rief could tell by his tone that he was losing his patience with the dancer's cocky attitude with him at last, "-but you _do not _throw my things. I have valuables in here, do you understand?"

Marishka rolled her eyes in response, breaking her gaze from the Mercury Adept's as Alex stood up, peeking around the pillar briefly to the watch guards.

"Now, wait here," he said lowly, handing his bag gingerly to Rief, holding a psy grenade in his other hand, "I should be coming right back, but if not… Feel free to come and aid me, Rief."

Rief shrugged as Alex swiftly disappeared from around the pillar and up the hill. To be honest, he was pretty determined that if anything happened to Alex, he'd simply jump for joy. He didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him, and was simply disgusted that he had to obey him. He understood the other Adept's reasoning for doing it, but still…

Rief took Alex's position at the edge of the pillar, and carefully peered around it to watch the scene that took place upon the hilltop.

Alex silently crept up on the watch guards, treading softly along the cool, damp grass. A psy grenade held behind his back with one hand, the other hand rested against the hilt of his sword – though he really had no intention on using the latter. He thought a nice good dose of psynergy to go along with the grenade would suffice it—

One of the guards turned in Alex's direction and froze; noticing the dark cloaked figure making it's way towards them at last. The guard withdrew his sword, brandishing it towards Alex as he made his way over to him in long, meaningful strides.

"Who are you?" the guard demanded, catching the other guard's attention as he did so.

Alex chuckled darkly, throwing his cloak back against the wind.

"That is for me to know, and for you to find out."

As the soldiers came closer to the Mercury Adept, he threw the psy grenade directly in front of them. The dark powder swelled up within the air, leaving the soldiers coughing and sputtering as they fought to see while shrouded within its haze. Alex's triumphant laugh rang across the evening grass, as he raised a hand lazily and ice began to engulf the two guards. They let out a scream, though it was no use – no one could hear their cries of pain, or their pleas for help; they were at the mercy of Alex, the water lord, and as any enemy to Alex knew: no mercy could be found from him.

In less than a minute, the soldiers were frozen solid, looks of agony petrified onto their faces forevermore as they would remain ice sculptures until thawed. Alex smiled to himself – yes, easier than he expected, though he wasn't about to complain about it. He was slightly concerned when he'd seen soldiers out this way, but they resulted in being very little of an issue to him.

"Come on, it's clear now," he called out to his companions, though the necessity of it was rather small, for it didn't take much for Rief to understand all that had transpired.

The young Water Adept and Marishka made their way around the pillar and joined Alex atop the hillside.

"We're getting on _that _one," Alex said, pointing a short ways out over to a small airship the size of a rowboat. "I'd hate to attract too much attention by taking their beloved Dark Matter. Besides, it's too large of a ship; it'd take us forever to get it moving."

"That's fine, anything that'll take us all will be good," Rief said quickly, as if not wanting to debate about it and waste any time that wasn't necessary.

Marishka scoffed, though didn't end up complaining either as Alex cut into her disappointment in not riding a larger airship.

"Come, my dear. It's better than imprisonment, is it not?"

Marishka glared at him, but said nothing as she followed Rief towards the smaller airship that would soon promise them freedom.

The airship hadn't seemed anywhere near as small upon approaching it as it had when seen in the distance. It would easily accommodate all of them with plenty of leg room – which in essence was all that they really needed anyway. It was made of a sturdy metal, one that Rief couldn't possibly imagine would have the ability to fly, much less float in water. Though since it was there, it obviously was going to work – or at least he convinced himself of this.

Marishka got into the airship first, swinging a leg over the side gracefully before sinking down onto one of the wooden benches. Rief got in next, dropping Alex's satchel in before attempting to climb in himself. After Rief got seated, Alex stepped forward, holding out a dark colored orb without meeting the younger water adept's eye.

"Aren't you coming too?" Rief asked him suspiciously.

Alex bowed his head, though it weren't exactly what you would call a nod.

"I am, except I must do some important things in the palace first. Tasks that would be far too dangerous for me to ask you to accompany me with. If any trouble should arise while I am gone, insert the orb into the airship there," he gestured towards a slot near the bow of the ship, "and make your way for land immediately. Do not take this ship in water – it will not be able to support it. I will find the others and come up with another way to escape – but don't linger here."

Rief considered him a moment before taking the orb, setting it along with Alex's other essentials.

"Are you going to go help Matthew?" Rief asked him.

Alex paused, the cool evening air sweeping his blue locks playfully against his face, while his expression remained unreadable.

"In a sense," was all that he said, turning his back towards the airship as he took several steps down the hill. "With any luck, I should return before they get here."

Rief nodded silently as he watched Alex continue to leave, sinking lower and lower down the hill before disappearing from sight entirely, leaving Rief with nothing but a few instructions, an orb he didn't know how to use and a slave dancer - who so far wasn't resulting in being any help at all.

~(*)~

The drums sounded in a grand finale and abruptly stopped, the rest of the music following suit. Amiti drew in deep breaths of air as applause rang through the great hall, his gaze trailing over to Karis. Though he tried to hide it, his expression held great triumph – they had actually done it. They had been able to make it through the entire dance without messing up once! Amiti had been quite nervous at the start, and had nearly slipped up several times in the beginning; though as he forced himself to remain calm and merely focus on the steps Marishka had taught them, it really hadn't been as bad as he'd been thinking. One thing was for sure – they were probably the least experienced dancers ever that made it through a performance such as theirs.

Amiti walked over to Karis, attempting to mask the excitement from his expression as he held out a hand to her. Karis, who had been crouched down to the ground, accepted as he gave her a lift up. Her smile ran a mile wide, pride being printed cleanly upon her face.

"Can you believe we did it?" she whispered excitedly to him, while Amiti nodded and tried to make light of it.

"Not now," he whispered back. "First we need to get out of here. Where's the door to the east wing?"

Karis began observing the room, attempting to look around the many Gondowan dancers that surrounded them, as well as the many guests that lined the walls. She then pointed over to the far right on the opposite side of the room behind Amiti.

"Over there, I think," she replied, biting her lip nervously. "Though I can't be sure."

"Let us try it."

The two of them fought their way through the crowded dance floor and over to the opposite side of the room. Though the crowd made it difficult to maneuver through, Amiti was grateful for it: for without it, they would've found it much more difficult to be able to cross through unnoticed.

They reached the door, and without a moment's hesitation Amiti swung it open, allowing Karis to step through it first. Karis passed him, sending a breeze sweeping over him, though it didn't smell like Karis's airy, soft perfume in which she wore; but of Amiti's dreadful scented cologne that he had accidentally poured over himself during their practice session. Amiti cursed silently to himself, frustrated that it _still _hadn't worn off as he followed Karis through the door and into the quiet corridor beyond.

The hall was well lit, though it remained silent in contrast to the blazing great hall in which they exited from. As was most of the palace during the festivities, this corridor remained deserted, though this suited Amiti and Karis just fine. They were in no anxious hurry to find trouble anyway.

"According to Alex," Karis began as they carefully walked down the hall at a slow pace. "The treasury should be just a short ways down this hall and to the left."

Amiti nodded, the beads on his headdress clinking together as he did so. Sure enough, after only a few more feet they found themselves at the entrance to the treasury – and what an incredible sight it was!

The room was massive, with no limitations to the treasures within. It looked almost as if it were an ancient museum. Complete with lost treasures and relics of all kinds, both great and small. The walls were lined with hangings of varying sorts: some portraits, while others were ancient writings and other varieties. There was table after table laid out with other various objects, each one looking to be quite old and as if it held some sensible value.

In the doorway stood a lone sentry guard, as had been promised by Alex. Until then, Amiti and Karis hadn't given it much thought how they would choose to take down this sentry guard, though when the moment came they seemed to have rather different approaches.

Amiti carefully took a few steps towards the sentry guard, so that he were only several paces away from him. He caught the guard's attention immediately as he eyed Amiti coolly.

"Excuse me, sir," said Amiti, breaking up the menacing silence in the hall. "But I just thought that –"

His words were broken by the sharp wind that bound against his face from his right. He turned to find Karis, hands thrust in front of her; her eyes closed in focus as she brought forth strong winds together. The winds from both the east and west formed together into rotation, creating a small whirlwind to take shape amidst them. The sentry merely watched, wide eyed as Amiti leapt back to avoid being struck down by it. Karis sent the whirlwind in motion as it quickly sprung out and engulfed the sentry guard, causing him to yelp in surprise. Just as instantly as he'd been drawn into the strong winds, he'd been thrust out of it, falling with a deafening thud onto the hard, marble floor.

The sentry moved a hand weakly towards his sword, eyeing the two with surprise.

"You're – you're the Adepts," he breathed.

"So, you have heard of us," Amiti said shortly, taking the sword from the sentry's belt and thrusting it in front of his face. "Then you must also have heard what we are capable of."

"Come with us," Karis said sharply, taking a step forward and attempting to pull the sentry to his feet, but found it impossible under his weight. Amiti cast the sword aside to aid her, as they struggled to get the sentry into the treasury and into a corner. The two of them eyed him dismally, while the sentry pleaded with them to spare him.

"I won't get – in your way," the sentry muttered. "Just please – please don't harm me further."

"Very well, so long as you do not create any trouble for us, we will let you be," Amiti said cordially, as he turned his gaze towards Karis, his green eyes lighting up with something that Karis had never seen before. It was in that very instant that Karis saw something in Amiti that she had never noticed before – how incredibly _much_ that he did indeed resemble Alex. Perhaps it was the expression, or perhaps it was merely the look in his eye, or the light just so happened to hit him in the correct way, for the moment Amiti returned his gaze to the sentry, the uncanny resemblance was gone, and was replaced with the same Amiti that Karis had always known – young, innocent, honest Amiti, who wouldn't hurt anyone without the absolute requirement to. For a brief, frightful moment, she thought she had actually seen pleasure in his expression as he looked down at the mangled sentry, though if it had been there, it was certainly gone now as he eyed the sentry seriously, his emerald green eyes holding a look of great concern to them.

"Perhaps you would consider aiding us in finding something," he said, watching the sentry guard expectantly. "We are rather pressed for time and could really use your help."

The guard shrugged, which turned into a wince as he leaned back against the wall, eyeing the young king with a pained expression.

"And if I don't?"

"I'll do nothing," Amiti replied calmly. "But I'd be sincerely grateful if you did indeed choose to help us. In return, I shall heal you."

The guard narrowed his eyes, as he studied Amiti carefully.

"You're just saying that—"

"You have my word."

The guard's expression softened slightly, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Well, then…" the guard said, as though thinking it over. "I suppose so. What are you looking for?"

"An ancient tablet that had been stolen from Lemuria some time ago," Karis said. "Do you have any idea which tablet I'm referring to?"

The guard scoffed, turning his gaze towards the Jupiter Adept.

"Oh yes, I know which one you're talking about," he said through gritted teeth. "Some tablet to a prophecy of some kind – Certainly means a great deal to the High Empyror. Took him some trouble to attain it, much less translate it. He's been searching for someone who had the ability to read it but has found no one. He even brought the Alchemist, Kraden, who is said to know almost everything about the ancient world, but it seems as though even he doesn't have the capability to read it."

Amiti and Karis exchanged glances, as the guard cleared his throat loudly.

"Now, I'll take you to it, but you blue-haired kid have to help me after I do. You got that?"

"You have my word," Amiti promised him. "As soon as we get the tablet safely tucked away—"

"_What_?" the guard asked him incredulously. "You plan on running off with it? Just like that?"

"Yes," Karis said uncertainly. "Why?"

The guard looked at them disbelievingly for a moment and then laughed, until his laugh turned into coughing and sputtering. Amiti narrowed his eyes, watching the guard with an indifferent expression.

"What do you find about this amusing?" he inquired, still watching the guard dismally. "Is there something that we don't know about it?"

"Don't know?" the guard managed between breaths. "Why, I doubt the two of you know that that slab weighs over 300 pounds! There's no _way _that the two of you would manage to be able to get that thing pried off the wall and fit into your little bag of goodies."

Amiti and Karis exchanged a glance – they had been a little worried about that.

**Author's Note:**

I apologize, it took me a bit longer to get this chapter up than usual. I'm currently writing another fanfic alongside this one, and I thought I'd be nice and update that one for a change before writing Psynergy Well. Not to mention, this chapter was particularly challenging to write – I'm not the greatest at writing action scenes, though I've been striving to better myself at it. I hope I did okay; though I'll let you amazing readers be the judge of that ;)

**CreationsGoneAwry: **Thank you so much for the reviews! I figure it'll take you awhile to get to this note, but I thought I'd leave it anyways :) As you will probably notice upon reaching this, I took your advice to heart and fixed the dialogue from here on out.


	21. Change of Plans

Chapter 21:

Things suddenly began to seem ten times more complicated than they had been out on the dance floor in the crowded great hall, whilst being surrounded by hundreds of people under the heat of the many torches gleaming down on them. Now, all of those things seemed irrelevant and distant as they considered the new dilemma that they were faced with. They had counted on everything being easy once they had broken into the treasury, but now they found themselves faced with an even greater problem – for their decision would be the one that would change all of the events that were taking place that night, and the events that were yet to come.

Amiti felt his mouth go dry, as he attempted to run his fingers through his hair out of habit as he normally did when something stressed him. Though he found that he was unable to accomplish this upon reaching his headdress; which he greatly felt like throwing at the moment. Karis's gaze met the floor, and he could tell that the Jupiter Adept had no suggestions for him either. They had hit a brick wall, and that wall wasn't going to budge for them.

"Are you sure it's quite _that _heavy?" Amiti confirmed with the sentry, the normally serene tone of the mercury adept being replaced with anxiety. The sentry merely laughed, until pain seared through him and he ceased, rubbing his side ruefully.

"I'm certain of it," he replied shortly. "I could go and show you if you'd like –"

"No, that's quite alright," Amiti replied quickly, thinking he'd feel even more ill by seeing it. "I have – no use for it now."

"Well, good!" the sentry said in exasperation, while eyeing the Water Adept critically. "Then you can heal me and be on your way."

Amiti hesitated as he watched the sentry guard crippled in pain. Unless he healed him, the guard wouldn't be up and at his post again for weeks, perhaps a month – and it was all because of them. Originally when he'd promised to heal him, he'd considered the fact that they would already have what they needed, and that he'd simply be correcting the wrong that he'd done. But now, everything had changed. The tablet couldn't be brought with them, that much was for certain. But even so, Amiti had given his word to the sentry, and now he had to keep it; tablet or not.

"Wait –" Karis said abruptly, raising her hand to stop him as Amiti knelt down beside the sentry, preparing himself to heal him. Amiti brought his green eyes up to hers, and instantly felt relief wash over him by the reassured strength within her. Her stature, her demeanor, her eyes; everything held confidence and assurance – just like her personality did.

"There's only one thing we can do," she said bitterly, "though I know it won't be easy."

"If you've come up with a plan, then you're far better than me," Amiti admitted. "For I couldn't think up anything."

Karis nodded solemnly, turning her gaze to the sentry.

"One of us is going to have to go find Matthew and bring him here."

Amiti blinked, watching the Wind Adept curiously – for surely he had heard her wrong.

"Bring Matthew-?" said Amiti uncertainly, shaking his head. "But Karis, that would seem nearly impossible. That was the entire purpose of us disguising as dancers: in order to insure us breaking into the treasury with ease. Bringing Matthew here would be defeating the whole purpose."

"Yes, but now we're in. So we're past all of that, don't you see?" Karis said with a sigh. "I know, it will definitely complicate things… But there's nothing else we can do, besides leave the tablet. And if we leave without reading it – well, we'll never be able to progress."

Amiti turned away from her, though he knew that she was right; unless they could read that tablet, there was no ending the pandemic. For if they didn't discover the location of the stones, they'd still be free of the Tuaparang's grasp, yes, but would continue to wander about aimlessly as they had before. If the pandemic wasn't brought to an abrupt halt, in the end each and every last one of the adepts would die – something that they simply couldn't allow to happen while they were still living.

"Okay," Amiti said as he drew in a breath shakily, "I think I should go and find him. You stay here with the sentry."

Karis nodded, watching Amiti concernedly as her violet eyes darkened with an expression that Amiti scarcely ever saw within her – fear.

"Just be careful, Amiti. Remember that you're unarmed."

"Unless I'm drained of my psynergy, I will not be." He offered her a small smile, one that came out to be more of a grimace. "I'll come back as quickly as I can."

"Wait, hold on – you're forgetting something," the sentry grunted, causing both of them to turn to face him.

"Yes, what is it?" Amiti asked, his green eyes searching over the sentry carefully, not expecting what the sentry had to say next.

"You said you'd heal me! So do it, boy!" he barked, glaring up at Amiti with such malice that Amiti had hardly ever seen anywhere before, not even from his chancellor back home in Ayuthay that seemed to hate him.

"I did promise to heal you, and I will –" said Amiti, as he turned to Karis expectantly, as though wishing for her to confirm his decision. "But you will have to wait until I return. For as much as I would like to trust you, there is no telling what you might do once I heal you."

The sentry looked as though he wanted to kill Amiti, and had he been in full strength he might've. Instead all that he could do was glare at him with cold, menacing eyes.

"Liars never get far in life," he muttered spitefully.

Amiti looked pained by this, as thoughts of his father ran through his mind: was he merely playing as low as Alex did? Was he merely using words to get what he wanted? He hoped not, but felt that this wasn't the time or place to be scrutinizing that.

"I didn't lie to you," he said smoothly. "I will heal you the moment that I return. I had thought I could take the tablet, but seeing to the fact that I cannot –"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you tell the green haired lady; you're bringing Matthew – whatever that means."

"Yes,"

"And then you'll heal me?"

"You have my word."

"You said that the first time."

Amiti shook his head, attempting to clear it from the confusion that the sentry was putting him in as he rose, turning his gaze towards Karis once more.

"You know where to go?" she asked him seriously, as he felt her grasp his hand tightly. Amiti nodded.

"I'm fairly certain. I just need to head to the west wing, correct?"

"Yes, I think that would work – They've been over there for some time now, so you'll probably run into them on their way out with Kraden if all went well."

A silence emitted between them briefly as they both watched the other; each filled with uncertainty. They both hated the shift in plans, and knew things would only become more complicated – and not to mention risky – as they continued to alter it from the original. Amiti gave Karis's hand a tight squeeze before releasing it, taking a few steps away from her, his eyes still unmoved from hers.

"I'll return quickly," he promised.

Karis gave him a small smile and then nodded.

"Be careful,"

Amiti turned and quickly left the treasury, failing to look back over his shoulder even once as he did so. He really wasn't certain how he'd manage to sneak over to the entrance of the west wing, nor had he really given any consideration as to what he would do once he did, but all of those things really didn't seem to matter – as he was now just making it up as he went along.

~(*)~

Silence echoed throughout the dimly lit hall as Alex scanned it for any signs of movement. After detecting none, he carefully turned the knob to the room before him and slipped inside, while hoping and praying that no one would be awaiting him once he entered.

The room he stepped into was pitch black. Heavy draperies concealed any lighting to be had from the starry night sky. Alex fumbled around the darkened room until his hand ran across the smooth wood of a dresser, searching for a candle, or match, or _anything _he could use to see with. It was at that very rare moment that he greatly wished he were a fire adept – though he assumed this would be the last time he'd ever wish this, for normally he had nothing to quarrel about with his mercury psynergy.

Alex scowled after searching around for several minutes, finding nothing to light the room with. He moved over towards the window and pulled back the thick, heavy curtains, revealing a bay window and a lit-up night sky. The moonlight bathed the room in a silvery light, casting a ray of light in the center of the room in the spot from which the moonlight shone. Alex's eyes darted across the room, being able to make it out fully now that he had light to survey it in, as he chose where he'd begin his search; the High Empyror's bedside table certainly seemed to be a very good place.

Without a moment's delay, Alex rushed over to the inn table, thrusting the drawer open mercilessly as he pulled out the contents by the handful. He carelessly laid everything on the floor, save for any piece of paper that he managed to find: he scanned each and every one of those quite carefully before discarding them. Once he'd completed without finding what he was looking for, he shoved everything back into place, and then made his way to the dresser drawers that stood behind him. He wasn't entirely certain that the High Empyror would keep the item in which he was searching for in his own personal quarters, but at this point, he was running out of ideas – and more essentially, _time_.

Like a madman, Alex dashed around this way and that, pulling out drawers and dumping out files as he searched for the one sheet of paper that he desperately wanted to find. With all of the noise that he stirred up, it was quite amazing that he hadn't attracted any guards to his presence just yet – only Alex wasn't that worried about them; he did after all have the ability to teleport out of there if things began to look nasty.

After several moments of rigorous searching, Alex sighed and stood upright, running his hands through his hair. Where could he have placed it? Surely he wouldn't be dense enough to leave it in his office? Not that Alex would've been entirely surprised if he had. While the High Empyror seemed to be all wise, he was really anything but that. Alex had outsmarted him so far, if only he could find that paper, then everything would be fine…

Alex growled lowly in frustration, his turquoise eyes continued to scan every corner of the room that he'd possibly missed. His fingers ran absentmindedly to his pocket, as he then pulled out a glossy stone the size of his palm, carved into a half-moon shape that held many ridges and raises. His turquoise eyes glistened as the moonlight reflected against them, while he stared longingly into the stone.

"I'm _this _close," he breathed, his eyes unblinkingly fixed on the half-moon shaped stone that rested in his hand. "If only I could find the last piece to the Eraoul…"

He turned his head in the direction of the wardrobe – But no, he thought subconsciously as he made his way over to it. Who would hide something so significant in with a pile of clothes? Then again, the High Empyror was also a man of many surprises, not unlike Alex, so he supposed that anything could be possible. It was only unlikely…

It was then that the trunk alongside the mirror caught his attention: why hadn't he noticed it before? Alex briskly strode over to it, bending down low so that his aqua blue hair swept against its lid, as he traced a hand along the carvings of the wooden box. His fingers flitted over the silver lock as he contemplated it for a moment. How did he want to break it…

Effortlessly, Alex snapped his fingers as the metal between the lock and the hook snapped, allowing Alex to cast it aside carelessly and search through the contents inside. He raised the lid, and smiled to himself at the first thing he saw. Lying atop a pile of miscellaneous items rested the Eraoul: a thin, old piece of paper that Alex had been searching all over for. It wasn't unlike the worn piece of paper that he possessed himself, yet this piece seemed quite significant to him.

Alex pocketed the paper and rose, surveying the room one last time before throwing his cloak around him and teleporting, leaving the room just as neat as it had been when he'd arrived; save for the broken lock on the chest. Let them wonder, Alex thought. Let them attempt to figure out who broke into the High Empyror's room that night, and contemplate what they intend to do with the item that the said thief stole. Any thoughts that the High Empyror could've conjured wouldn't result in being useful, for never would anyone know of his presence there that night.

For after all, Alex was Alex, and he could get away with anything.

Or at least, almost anything…

~(*)~

The door creaked as Matthew peered inside the darkened room. Unlike their cell down in the prisons that they had been held captive in, this room held one window lining the ceiling - though any thoughts of escape through it would've been futile, for their distance from the ground was at such an extreme altitude that there would be no hopes of a happy landing.

Matthew pulled the door open a bit further, allowing himself inside the room, the planks of the wooden floor creaking under his feet. Tyrell made to follow him, and quickly shut the door behind him. A rustling noise in the corner of the room caught Matthew's attention immediately, as he shot a hand down to the hilt of his sword, readying himself to draw it at any given moment. His eyes darted over to find Kraden, sitting in a rocking chair in one of the corners of the room; his twinkling blue eyes watched them bemusedly.

"Why, hello," Kraden said cheerfully. "Does your Empyror require my services?"

Matthew and Tyrell shot one another a glance before Matthew shook his head.

"No, Kraden. It's us – It's me, Matthew."

Kraden leaned forward and squinted in the darkness, as though attempting to make the two of them out despite their suits of armor.

"Really? Is that you?" he inquired, rising from his chair as he slowly made his way over to them. "How very interesting! How did you escape from your prison cell?"

"It sure wasn't easy-" Tyrell began loudly, though Matthew nudged him in the ribs to silence him. "Ouch – Matthew, there's other ways to get me to stop talking than just elbowing me all the time."

"Sorry," Matthew muttered in Tyrell's direction, as he then turned to face the scholar. "Alex helped us escape."

Kraden blinked in surprise.

"Alex?" he blurted out. "How very interesting indeed…"

"Kraden, did you bring us to the Zenith Isle to find the tablet?" Matthew asked him breathlessly, as he knew they were all rather pressed for time.

"Yes, I was hoping it would be here; though it was only a matter of theory, really. Did Alex tell you that it was here, I wonder?"

"Well, yeah he did," replied Matthew. "He planned all of this out, but why does it matter?"

Kraden shook his head as he rose from his chair.

"Never mind that now, Matthew. Now is not the place nor time to discuss it. So… Where are the others?" he asked him.

"Well, to our knowledge Rief, Alex and this slave dancer lady are waiting in an airship for us-" Tyrell explained, counting all of the members of their party off on his fingers.

"Slave dancer?" Kraden interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"Later," was all Matthew responded.

"-And Karis and Amiti are out in the great hall, performing as Gondowan dancers." Tyrell continued.

"What? But why?"

""Long story," Matthew said shortly, "but we needed someone to sneak into the treasury so that we could steal the tablet, and they were the only two that could do the job for us."

"Steal the tablet?"

"Yeah, so that we could translate it," Matthew said, and since Kraden still continued to stare at him dumbfounded upon this, he continued to explain further, "because apparently I'm the only one that can read the ancient text that it's written in."

"No, no, my dear boy," Kraden said, shaking his head frantically. "Amiti and Karis have no hopes of stealing the tablet – it is enormous! It cannot be lifted!"

Matthew's heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be so, could it? After all, they had planned this all out so strategically, so carefully… And Alex had clearly stated that it would be light enough to transport –

"Alex _said _that we'd be able to take it!" Tyrell said furiously, clenching his hands tightly into fists. "The big liar!"

"No, I doubt that he knew," Kraden replied calmly, resting his hands on Tyrell's armored shoulders. "Like I mentioned before: I'm surprised by all of the things that Alex _does _know."

Matthew turned away from the two of them, still being unable to fully register that they couldn't take the tablet. He could picture Amiti and Karis's faces, and how hard they had been practicing all afternoon and well into the evening for that dance. That night, they had to perform in front of all of those people, and now it was all in vain – they couldn't take the tablet. Everything they had done and had been trying to do was lost. Matthew swallowed the knot in his throat painfully as he willed himself to turn back to Tyrell and Kraden, and for the first time that evening he was thankful for the helmet to mask his expression.

"What do you think they'll do once they find out they can't lift the tablet?" Matthew asked, attempting to keep his voice steady.

"I don't know," said Kraden. "But I'd suggest that we head over there now and see if we can get you in there."

Tyrell chuckled softly, causing Matthew and Kraden to shoot him a glance.

"I don't know what you find about this funny," Matthew sneered, as he continued to glare at the Mars Adept to his left.

"Nothing, really," Tyrell replied, lifting his head to meet Matthew's eye. "It's just I was thinking… We're doing exactly what Alex didn't want us to."

"This is out of Alex's hands now," Kraden replied lowly, walking softly across the room to the door. "He didn't plan for this to happen. We must now do what we can."

Matthew considered Kraden for a moment before nodding, as he turned to follow Kraden out the door.

"Alex was concerned that we'd attract too much attention if we went in disguised as guards," Matthew informed him.

"Oh, I think we'll manage," Kraden said, as a smile slowly curved the corners of his mouth. "A few Tuaparang soldiers have never stopped the two of you before, have they?"

"Nah, we can take 'em," Tyrell said, flexing a muscle. "Right Matthew?"

Matthew hesitated, thinking Kraden and Tyrell were making a bit too light of the situation at hand, but instead of expressing this, he merely nodded.

"Good, then let's be on our way. I'm certainly tired of this old room they've kept me in." Kraden turned the doorknob and allowed himself out into the hall beyond. Tyrell followed Kraden first, and then at last came Matthew.

Moonlight from the windows above bathed Matthew's face as the Venus Adept carefully peered around the hall. No soldiers – that was definitely a good thing. Matthew only hoped that their luck could hold out until they were good and out of there.

Kraden allowed Matthew and Tyrell to take the lead, taking into consideration that the two probably knew their way around better than he did. Slowly and silently, the three made their way back in the same direction that Tyrell and Matthew had come: back through the dark stairways and passed the many halls until at last they reached the first floor of the west wing, where Matthew stopped dead in his tracks upon reaching the last step.

"Huh? Why'd you stop-" Tyrell began, but fell short upon setting his gaze on the room beyond, his eyes widening at what he saw.

The room was filled with not one, or two, but at least a _dozen _Tuaparang soldiers, all of them fully armed and prepared for battle.

"The noise came from somewhere up there," one of them said, gesturing towards the staircase without looking in its direction. "It sounded as if someone were jumping up and down or something."

Matthew felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach – it never occurred to him how possibly _noisy _his Mother Gaia attack had been when he'd relinquished it on the guard up in the tower – how foolish.

"Well, Kornor was supposed to be on watch, so if anything really _did _take place up there…" another replied vaguely, as though not really interested in inspecting the place.

"Hey, look!"

Matthew had no time to hide or react when almost all of the heads of soldiers turned to face them at the stairs. One of them raised their spear.

"What were you two doing up there?" the soldier with the spear asked suspiciously. "No one was supposed to be up there except Kornor, who was patrolling the eighth floor."

"We – uh," Matthew said, turning towards Tyrell desperately for advice. "We're supposed to take… Kraden."

"Oh, really?" the soldier said in a cocky tone. "Where to?"

"These are no soldiers of ours," one said in a deep tone, as he went over to the adepts in meaningful strides. "I'm willing to guess they're the ones who stole our armor. What do you think, Storomir?"

Tyrell gulped beside Matthew, as he recognized the voice of the soldier that stood before them: It was indeed the two soldiers that they had attacked for their armor. But how did they regain consciousness so quickly, Tyrell wondered furiously.

The soldier's partner went up to them, and even though his expression was unreadable due to his headgear, it was quite easy to presume that a triumphant grin was imprinted on the man's face, gauging from his tone.

"I'll say," he replied, nodding. "What do you suppose we do with them?"

"What we do to all intruders, of course." The other said, drawing his sword from its sheath.

Matthew had wanted to trip Tyrell, and after a few moments he really wished he had as Tyrell bounded out towards the two Tuaparang soldiers, his sword held out in front of him as he shot out. "Oh, yeah? Well, I'll teach you - you Tuaparang scum!"

"Tyrell!" Matthew hissed, only it was too late – the soldiers had already begun opening fire upon them.

Tyrell didn't show any mercy for the soldiers this time though. Without thinking twice, the Mars Adept cast Carpet Bomb on the surrounding soldiers: a massive psynergy attack consisting of the very flames of hell itself. It wasn't entirely easy for Tyrell to cast, and Matthew knew that it must've taken nearly half of his psynergy to do it. Flames came down in streaks from the ceiling, almost reminiscent to lightning coming down from the sky. They bore down upon the soldiers, as fire swelled around them in sheets, coming closer and closer in contact with them. The room was filled with the soldiers' screams of agony, as another soldier at that very same moment used a blast of his own dark psynergy, shooting Tyrell back by yards across the smooth stone floor.

Matthew took a step forward, releasing psynergy of his own. Quite similarly to the way in which his Mother Gaia attack coursed through his enemies, his stone spire came crashing down on them. First in smaller stones, then came larger boulders. Some broke apart as they came crashing down on them, sending large fragments of rock flying across the room, and Matthew quite literally had to duck to avoid being hit by them himself as rocks ricochet off the walls towards him. Though the rocks had bore down on the soldiers, it didn't seem to halt their progress in the least – weakened they ultimately were, but they still seemed to have an inner strength to them that Matthew couldn't help but wonder at.

At that point, Tyrell had regained his footing, only this time he withdrew his sword rather than attempt to use his psynergy: he wanted to save what remained of that in case he really had a dire need for it. One of the Tuaparang soldiers shot some kind of attack that Matthew was unfamiliar with at Tyrell, causing Tyrell's body to jerk violently as he cried out in pain. Against Matthew's own vows to himself to conserve the remainders of his psynergy, he unleashed his Odyssey attack. From out of the nowhere, four swords from multiple directions struck Tyrell's attacker dead in his tracks as one final, larger blade came smashing down from above – and that was the end of him. Matthew let out a sigh, as he rushed over towards Tyrell to offer him a hand up. He accepted it, and slowly rose from the floor, his legs barely able to support him.

"Damn, these guys are good," Tyrell muttered. "When do you think they'll decide to quit?"

At that very moment, before Matthew had the opportunity to answer, another wave of dark psynergy washed over them, knocking the wind out of the two adepts as they went crashing to the floor. Matthew rolled up to his feet quickly to meet the blade of a soldier bearing down on him. The fight pursued for a short while, until the soldier seemed to lose interest and instead cast out another psynergy attack: the same one that another soldier had used on Tyrell only moments before. The pain dulled Matthew's senses as he vaguely felt his body hit the stone floor once more. The pain began to throb through his head, and then quickly crept down through his body as if he'd suddenly jumped into a pool of ice-cold water. Just when he thought the pain began to let up it only intensified. He could hear the battle still being drawn out around him, yet it seemed so surreal and faraway. The sound of someone crying out could be heard, and for one brief moment he thought it was possibly the sound of his own voice, yet he didn't think that he was shouting. As Matthew attempted to focus in on the soldier that stood before him, his vision slowly grew blurry as he fell backward – rendering it impossible for him to sit upright any longer.

The only thought that continued to run through his mind at that moment was that they failed – they failed much more than themselves for that matter. They'd failed Isaac and Garet, they'd failed all of the Adepts throughout Weyard - they'd even failed all of Weyard entirely, from a certain doom that was bound to come now that they wouldn't be alive to stop it.

Matthew heard a dull thud beside him, though he couldn't collect his thoughts to glance over to see who or what it was: he felt as though he no longer had any control over his bodily functions – all of it seemed so far off.

It was then, just as Matthew was well certain that he was going to die there, in the middle of the floor on the Zenith Isle, that a misty chill ran through the air. At first it wasn't entirely noticeable, but after several moments the temperate within the room dropped by at least 50 degrees and Matthew could see his breath forming in the air. The Tuaparang soldier broke his psynergy attack from Matthew, as he turned to find the source of the sudden freeze the room was under. Quicker than the soldier could react, ice shards began pouring down upon them, each piece being as sharp as razors. The soldier let out a howl as he leapt away from Matthew, attempting to get away from the ice that came pelting down on him. However, the ice didn't cease, and Matthew felt someone tugging at his shoulders, attempting to pull him from his position on the floor.

"No –" Matthew managed to moan, as he struggled to pull away from the person's grasp. "No – use."

"Come, Matthew," a familiar voice said calmly, though Matthew couldn't make out from where "I need to get you out of the way before I-"

"Let me," another voice said, this time he recognized it to belong to Tyrell.

Matthew opened his eyes as he noticed a red blur cross his line of vision before he was abruptly lifted and carried across the opposite side of the room. He was glad that at least Tyrell was better off than he was – perhaps Weyard still had hope just yet.

He felt himself hit the ground once more, as Tyrell gently leaned him back against the wall.

"Amiti and I are gonna try to fight these goons real quick," Tyrell reassured his friend. "So hang in there, we'll come fix you up when we get a sec."

Matthew tried to respond but couldn't find his voice, and instead merely nodded. He felt Tyrell loosen his grip on his shoulder, and he fought viciously to not fall over. After a moment, he then felt a pair of hands grasp his shoulders and pull him back against the wall, and he recognized the old, soft voice of Kraden when he was spoken to: "Matthew, you'll be alright. It was just a rough dose of dark psynergy. But you'll be fine. Just try to relax and remain focused."

To Matthew, to try to relax and remain focused seemed like two opposing things to one another, though he didn't have the mental capacity to argue. He merely nodded, and slumped back against the wall, wondering how long it would take until he finally died.

Slowly, the sounds of battle ceased as Matthew felt sudden waves of heat and cold sweep through the air periodically. At long last, Tyrell made his way over to Matthew, dropping to his knees before him.

"Matthew, Matthew! Wake up, Matt!" Tyrell said desperately, taking a hold of Matthew's arm and shaking it violently. "You're going to be alright, don't leave us!"

Matthew cracked his eyes open to make out Tyrell standing before him, his soldier's helmet cast aside, so that now he could make out Tyrell's panicked expression as he watched his friend. He then noticed someone behind Tyrell, as he made his way around the Fire Adept to get closer to Matthew.

During Matthew's unconscious state, someone must've removed his helmet, for he found it to be gone as the other man ran a hand across Matthew's face, and then rested it at the back of his neck. Before Matthew knew what was happening, he recognized the cool sensation of Ply working through his body, and knew instantly that this had to be Amiti; despite the fact that he couldn't make out his face. The Ply penetrated through his skin and coursed through his every muscle, as he felt mobility return to them. Slowly, his vision cleared, and he was able to make out the mercury adept before him, dressed as a Gondowan slave dancer.

"Amiti," Matthew began, breaking the Mercury Adept's concentration as the Ply abruptly stopped pouring into him. "Amiti, what are you doing here-?"

"I came to find you," Amiti replied quietly. "Now, please don't speak: I'm not through healing you yet-"

"I'm fine, there's no need to heal me further."

Amiti considered Matthew hesitantly for a moment, but obeyed – after all, he still had the sentry to heal back in the treasury.

"You really had good timing," said Tyrell behind Amiti's back, though Amiti didn't turn to face him. "If you hadn't come along, we were gonna be toast."

"I'm very glad that I did, then." Amiti paused, as he then lifted his head to meet Matthew's eye. "Are you alright now?"

"Yeah," Matthew said slowly, rotating his wrist to check himself out. "As good as new – or almost."

Amiti nodded, then urgently turned towards Tyrell.

"I'm sorry, but there's no time. The festival is about to end, and we found a major dilemma in trying to steal the tablet-"

"We already know," said Tyrell bitterly. "Kraden's told us; you guys can't lift the tablet, can you?"

Amiti's eyes widened in surprise at the Fire Adept momentarily, then his expression relaxed once more.

"Yes, it's unmovable."

"Then, we must bring Matthew to it," said Kraden reassuringly, stepping out from behind Matthew.

Tyrell stepped forward to offer Matthew a hand up, which Matthew accepted gratefully. Although he felt much better than he previously had, he still found himself to be quite weak as his legs shook under his weight and he fought to keep his balance. Amiti offered a hand out to steady him, though Matthew declined it.

"Lead the way," Matthew said wearily to the Water Adept, who simply nodded in response.

As they began to weave their way out of the room through clusters of fallen soldiers, they heard a clock chime midnight – signaling the end of the festival.

And that was bad news. Very bad indeed…

**Author's Note:**

You'll probably find there to be very little dialogue within the chapter, not that I prefer it that way; normally I'm notorious for heavy dialogue chapters. I hope I'm not boring everyone to death with the Zenith Isle already! They're leaving it next chapter though and never coming back, I promise ;) Then, we're on our way to discover the mysteries of the pandemic and the Psynergy Well again!

You'll also be finding out some pretty interesting things with a few characters shortly here…

**CreationsGoneAwry: **Oh! One thing I forgot to clarify in my PM: Most all of the Tuaparang soldiers possess psynergy – only they are of the dark element. The guard that Matthew and Tyrell had attacked had stated that no soldier of theirs had psynergy of the regular elements (fire, water, earth, wind). And since the Tuaparang troops are powered-up by the abundance of dark psynergy surrounding the Isle, they are a great threat to them. So, in essence yes, the psy grenade was quite necessary :D


	22. Flight

Chapter 22:

Karis leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes to the treasury that swarmed before her. Her heart pounded in her chest and up into her throat, as she occasionally opened her eyes to shoot a glance towards the entryway to the treasury, only to find no one there each time. This resulted in both a good and bad thing. No one had obviously come to switch positions with the sentry guard; this was good, for Karis wasn't equipped with any means to fight back, save for her psynergy – though that was one of those options that would be used only if absolutely necessary. Being attacked would obviously fit into the category of necessity, but she preferred to avoid it if at all possible – or else Amiti would have _two _people that would need healing, and she couldn't vouch for him having enough psynergy left to do so. The downside of no one coming was that Amiti still hadn't shown up; something that didn't necessarily signify anything good. Had he found trouble? Or to better rephrase that, had trouble found him? Karis could only imagine the possibilities as her mind wandered subconsciously to the probabilities of Amiti finding Matthew and Tyrell without finding Tuaparang men, and merely hoped for the best.

The sentry whom Amiti and Karis attacked upon entering the treasury remained on the smooth tiled floor at Karis's feet, unmoved from his position that Amiti had left him in. He could barely fight for consciousness in his given state, as he struggled to take in slow, heavy breaths of air. Karis had watched him briefly during Amiti's absence, but soon chose to look away; finding she couldn't stand watching him. Though he may be her enemy, she didn't wish to watch anyone suffer and die.

After much time had passed while the young Wind Adept awaited the return of her companions, she heard the sound of footfalls approaching from somewhere down the hall. Karis stood upright; her violet eyes sharp and unmoved from the entryway. The footsteps sounded like many, not just of a mere soldier or two, yet while she listened, she could soon hear the rattling of a soldier's armor, which instantly roused her fear. Her eyes darted from object to object across the room, searching for any possible place to hide. Though it was a treasury, the objects in which the room contained weren't large enough to conceal her – save for the 300 pound tablet that they couldn't steal, but that was beside the point, for it was nailed to the wall and wouldn't do her very much good.

The footsteps drew closer, as Karis's heart beat at a vicious pace; with her having nowhere to hide, she would have to resort in fighting back – the one thing she hadn't wanted to do. She considered the fallen sentry beside her, as her eyes slowly trailed down the smooth, thin sheath of his sword. She could borrow it, technically, but her sword skills weren't the best; even she knew this. If there were more than a couple of soldiers out there – which it sounded like to her – than she wouldn't be able to stand a chance against them. No – she would have to resort to using her psynergy, despite how much she detested the option.

Karis moved swiftly across the smooth tiled floor and planted herself flat against the wall of the entryway, hiding behind the doorframe so as to surprise the invaders upon entering. She listened to the footsteps draw nearer, as the fear within her crept up her neck and tingled into her ears. Fear wasn't an emotion that was all familiar to the Jupiter Adept, and it certainly wasn't an emotion that she favored in the least.

The footsteps died away as the sound of armor had come to an abrupt halt upon the entry way, when she heard a familiar voice ask another member of their group: "Is this the room, you say?"

Her heart suddenly beat ten times faster; though this time it was out of joy, for the voice sounded a great deal like Matthew's! Karis leapt out from behind the wall, causing every member of their group to give a start in surprise: the group consisting of two Tuaparang soldiers, a dancer and a scholar - an abnormal group, to be certain.

"Oh, Matthew! You guys! You're all here!" Karis breathed, springing forward to give Matthew a small hug, which he returned rather awkwardly until he exhaled sharply as though in pain. Karis pulled away from him, blinking in surprise with a blank expression. "Are you okay? You sound hurt?"

"I'm fine," he replied shortly, without giving much thought to the matter. "We don't have a whole lot of time left; the festival's over, meaning soldiers are going to begin creeping into the halls, making our escape much more difficult. Where's the tablet?"

Karis's gaze traveled across the artifact-filled room and towards the wounded sentry that she had left on the opposite side of the room.

"I- I'm not sure myself," she admitted slowly, taking steps over toward the sentry. "But he does, we'll have to ask him –"

Matthew swiftly nodded, making to follow the Wind Adept hastily across the smooth tiled floor and towards the fallen sentry.

He remained unconscious upon their arrival, undisturbed by the newest company in the least. Karis raised a heavy-jeweled hand up to the sentry's shoulder and shook it gently, causing him to draw in a deep breath, but nothing more.

"Excuse me, sir," said Karis softly. "But my friends are back and we need to find the tablet, if you could show us –"

At this point, the others had gathered around the sentry as well. Karis felt Amiti drop down beside her, as he reached a hand towards the sentry's wrist, his fingers sliding around to get underneath his sleeve in order to make skin contact.

"Let me try healing him," he said, repositioning to get in front of him better. Karis slid away as she watched tentatively, her eyes unmoved from the sentry's pallid face. As she'd seen Amiti do numerous times, he began to use Ply on the sentry. The air amidst them felt cool against their faces as it gently swept their hair, while a blue glow emitted from the site in which Amiti was healing the sentry from. Color slowly began to flood back into the sentry's face, as his breathing softened slightly. Amiti withdrew his touch as he moved back towards Karis, the beads on his headdress clinking together mildly as he did so.

"I'm out of psynergy," he said in barely more than a whisper, though the reasoning for this was unclear. "So I hope that will suffice it for now."

"Probably," Matthew agreed, moving forward so as to inspect the sentry more carefully. "He looks better, at any rate."

"But why isn't he waking up yet?" Tyrell whined, standing up and stretching, his armor shifting noisily about as he did so.

The Adepts watched the sentry tentatively, waiting anxiously until he showed signs of consciousness, though he offered them none. Karis bit her lip out of worry, as she heard the clock outside in the hall chime half past twelve.

"We haven't got time for this!" she whispered anxiously, rousing up onto her toes. "We've been gone so long now; I wouldn't be surprised if Alex and Rief leave without us."

"How about we take a look and see if we can't find the tablet for ourselves?" Kraden suggested mildly. "I think I somewhat know what we're looking for."

"It's better than sitting here idly," Amiti admitted, slowly rising from his position on the floor, the other Adepts quickly following suit.

Karis stood up fully and considered the room, scanning over the walls carefully. All in all, there were probably about twenty-five wall hangings in the room alone – even if they were to scan all of them, it probably wouldn't take them that much time. There chances of finding the tablet, translating it, and escaping without a change of sentries were slim, but their chances of waiting for the sentry to regain consciousness were slimmer yet. As Karis reasoned this out, Matthew began to move slowly towards the corner of the room nearest him.

"Why don't we all split up?" he suggested. "Anyone who finds something that looks interesting can signal me and I'll see if I can read it, okay?"

Karis nodded an affirmative, as she moved down the portion of the wall that remained only a few paces from Matthew. The others split up as well: starting off in one corner to slowly make their way across the room until they searched the place bone dry. It was decided that Kraden was to overlook the room behind everyone else in case they missed something, so he chose to search directly behind Matthew as the four Adepts systematically went around the room.

Matthew moved along the wall slowly, yet with as much speed as he could muster, scanning each and every wall hanging carefully. If they had more time, it would've been quite enjoyable to leisurely inspect everything, for Matthew felt as though there were many secrets through which these hangings contained that no one had yet discovered. He recalled back during their travels hearing from some Beastmen that the world contained many secrets written in ancient texts that mankind and beastmen alike could no longer translate; they were secrets forever lost to the world. He wondered if the hangings before him could indeed be some of those secrets that had been mentioned, though he knew he'd never find out. While Matthew understood some ancient hieroglyphs, it didn't mean he had the capacity to understand all of them. He ran a gloved hand along the smooth, golden frame of another hanging, as he determined to decipher its meaning. Instead of more ancient, foreign texts, this one was a depiction of a scene, or an event, Matthew couldn't be sure on which one. It was quite extraordinary as it displayed a battle scene, both horrifying and amazing all at once, yet it appeared to be quite old; perhaps back from during the time of the Ancients – though he couldn't imagine how it would've been preserved to remain in pristine condition as though it had been sketched only days prior. The sound of Amiti's voice echoing across the room broke into his thoughts: returning him back to the present as he turned to look over at him.

"Kraden – would you come take a look at this a moment? I think I found something…" said Amiti, his words trailed off as an edge of uncertainty filled his tone.

At once, they all made their way over to the Water Adept. Kraden turned his eyes expectantly on Amiti.

"Which one is it?" he asked, and Amiti was slightly taken aback by the tone of anxiety behind his voice; normally Kraden always remained so level headed and calm, never would he get anxious or frustrated with a situation as he was appearing to then. Amiti gestured to a large, stone hanging carved with odd shapes and writing, resting just above a smaller one.

"I think some of those letters down below belong to the Ancient Lemurian alphabet, though I could be mistaken." Amiti said softly, stepping aside to allow Kraden to get a better look at it.

The elderly scholar took a step closer to the wall as he rested a hand against the smooth, stone of the tablet.

"Yes, yes, I do think this is the one," Kraden muttered excitedly, turning towards Matthew. "Matthew, see if you can read it!"

Matthew hesitantly took a step closer as he focused in on the ancient hieroglyphs. At first it seemed like a random mixture of symbols, but as it always seemed when reading the ancient text, the words suddenly formed in his mind, as though being able to visualize the phrase in his given language rather than the one in which it was written before him. It was an odd sensation that Matthew couldn't begin to describe; he'd only learned to accept it.

"Yes, it speaks of the legend," Matthew said, closing his eyes and opening them to clear his mind and make out the details of the writing more carefully. "It reads:

"_Removed from Weyard at large,_

'_Tween layers of rock and soil,_

_The demon of evil remains,_

'_Till the seeker it awaits relents._

_The darkened path to the Psynergy Well is not one readily visible,_

_Only with the eyes of truth could one whose righteous avail._

_In the lands of barren forests, atop a rocky plain,_

_Sleeps the eye of light, in which shall guide thy way._

_Deep between the seas, on an island shrouded by mist;_

_Dwells the eye of darkness; in which shall unseal the way._

_The fragments of two distant lands;_

_Brought forth upon the slab;_

_Will guide thee to the resting place_

_Of the one whom enslaved the land."_" Matthew looked over his shoulder towards Kraden, whose expression remained unreadable as he stared up at the stone tablet with hard-set eyes.

"Try to remember those locations, Matthew." Kraden said at last, turning to meet Matthew's eye. "The locations that it was describing to us. I had wished it would be a bit more clear, but I think we can solve this riddle easily enough if given the time to ponder it."

"Should we, like, right it down or something so we don't forget it?" Karis suggested. "I mean, that's an awful lot that we're expecting Matthew to memorize, and if he forgets—"

"No," Kraden said sharply, causing Karis to meet his gaze with alarm. He then softened his tone as he went on. "The Tuaparang _mustn't _find the meaning of this, and we run the chance of accidentally losing the paper that we write it on. No, Matthew must memorize it."

Matthew stared at the writing long and hard, his blue eyes running across the four lines time and time again until it was etched clearly in his mind so that when he'd close his eyes he'd still see it imprinted as if it were written before him.

"What did it say again, Matthew?" Tyrell asked him eagerly. "I'll try to help you remember it."

"As will I," Amiti chimed in.

Karis nodded as she adjusted her headdress precariously.

"Let's hear it!" she said encouragingly.

Matthew let his gaze travel along the thin, slanted hieroglyphs before quoting it to them once more. "In the land of barren forests, atop a rocky plain," he began. Karis let out a sigh from behind him and shook her head.

"That doesn't even make sense! A land of barren forests? Why, there's no such thing, is there? It's like contradicting itself the whole way through!"

"It's a riddle, Karis," Kraden explained calmly. "It isn't meant to make sense. We must solve it, as we've had to do with many things along the way."

"There's something more written here, too," Matthew said suddenly, for the first time noticing something written in a smaller print below the hieroglyphs that he'd read, only this writing was far different from the language that Matthew had been able to interpret, and as he continued to study it, he found that he couldn't make sense of it.

Kraden squinted to better make out the writing as well, and shook his head.

"Probably written in the Ancient Lemurian tongue," said the scholar with a sigh, "and unfortunately, we don't have Piers with us… The tablet was written in several different languages, see, so that no one person alone could possess its full meaning."

"It makes sense, in a way," Amiti said, tilting his head as he studied the writing as well. "But will we need to know what it says?"

"I think we'll be okay so long as we can decipher the locations of the stones." Kraden swiftly turned around to face the others. "Well, Matthew, if you have that well memorized we should really be on our way. I'm sure Alex is beginning to wonder if he needs to come to our rescue by now."

Matthew nodded, his gaze slowly traveling across the room absentmindedly. It seemed strange to him that they'd gone through so much effort to find this tablet, yet in the long spectrum of things it answered nothing for them. It was just as suspenseful as every other lead they had had been.

"Hey, where's the sentry guard?" Tyrell's voice cut in, catching Matthew's gaze with alarm.

"Huh? He's gone?" Karis exclaimed, turning around to the spot where he'd been, but lo and behold, the sentry was gone.

"This is bad," Amiti muttered quietly, his emerald green eyes slowly scanning the room to see if he hadn't wandered far, yet no trace of him was to be found. "He must've gone off to alert someone."

"He was probably just faking it all along," Tyrell grunted bitterly as he removed his helmet.

"Anyway, he probably hasn't been gone long," Karis said finally, tearing her eyes away from the spot where he'd been lying. "We should just hurry and—"

Her words died in her throat as the sound of swords being drawn from their sheaths rang throughout the artifact-filled room, as she saw dark figures clad in armor appear from behind her friends, swords held out before them.

"Oh man," Tyrell let out with a soft groan, as the Tuaparang soldiers circled around them. "_Not again."_

~(*)~

The starry night sky continued to light up the already shadow-cast courtyard alongside the Umbra Palace and onto the grassy plains beyond. Due to the Zenith Isle being closer than Weyard was to the sky, it made the stars stand out much more; though part of this had to do with the fact that there were no trees or anything else to distract the eye from the beauty of the night sky. Rief shot a glance across the courtyard, hoping to see the figures of the other Adepts make their way up the hill to the airship where he awaited them, but every time he would find nothing.

"Why aren't they here by now, Arcanus?" Marishka asked anxiously, turning to the elder Water Adept that sat beside her along the wooden bench of the airship. "I do hope nothing went wrong!"

"Knowing them, something probably did," Alex muttered with a sigh, throwing a glance over his shoulder precariously.

Alex had returned only moments before, with nothing significant to report in hand except with the gained knowledge that the dance had ended, and he expected Amiti and Karis had made it through - given the fact that they weren't being escorted out of there in shackles yet. Rief seemed not all too thrilled by Alex's appearance; he hadn't been lonely enough for his companionship. He still didn't like him; despite the valiant efforts that Alex made to gain Rief's approval. He even despised the fact that Alex was working with them as much as he was – though he figured soon enough they would be off this island, and then never again would he have to see Alex's sneering face. Ever.

Rief heard a twig snap nearby, which immediately caused him to look up, Alex and Marishka following suit. Tuaparang soldiers began to filter in around them, a few of them looking over the frozen bodies, while the other remaining soldiers began searching the premises.

"Damn, I knew I should've hid those bodies," Alex said in barely more than a whisper, as he ducked down below the bow of the ship, tugging on Marishka's leg gently in attempts to persuade her to follow suit.

"They're going to find us!" Rief hissed, throwing Alex a distasteful glare that could've easily frozen water in July. "Now what do we do?"

Alex bit his lip as his eyes moved in the direction of the soldiers, who now began circling the airships one by one.

"I don't know, there's too many of them –" Alex muttered, as he groped around for his satchel, grasping the corner of it with his fingertips as he pulled it closer to him.

While Alex searched through his pack, Rief spun around on the smooth, metal floor of the airship and raised himself onto his knees, attempting to peer out at the scene below. The nearest soldiers to them were still several airships away, and if they did a thorough enough search of each airship, then they'd likely be undetected for quite some time. The only problem remained was what would incur after they indeed _were _found. There had to be nearly a dozen soldiers out there, and while Alex was one of the most powerful Adepts in existence, Rief doubted that even he would be able to fend twelve Dark Adepts off at once; and he didn't think he, himself, would be of much use – for in battles his skills were more of that equivalent to an apprentice.

Alex pulled out a psy grenade from his bag, frowning at it slightly as he considered it for a moment.

"It's my last one…" Alex said dismally, as he turned to look over the edge of the airship, down over the hill at the Tuaparang soldiers below. "I'd hate to use it now."

"But we've got no choice!" Rief said desperately. "We can't fight all of them alone, can we?"

Alex hesitated, considering the soldiers briefly before flitting his turquoise gaze to his young cousin.

"Not alone,"

Rief blinked, watching Alex with horror, as he made no motion to use the grenade. Alex's gaze remained fixated on the plains beyond, a hand rested firmly upon the hilt of his sword.

"You aren't seriously thinking about fighting them?" asked Rief incredulously, as he watched Alex pocket the psy grenade and get to his feet.

Alex hesitated, without fully responding to the fellow Water Adept.

"In times such as these, one must attempt to achieve the impossible." he replied blandly, turning his turquoise gaze to meet Rief's.

"So you're actually going out there," Rief said flatly, the look of shock written cleanly upon his visage. "It's useless – there's too many of them."

Alex rolled his eyes as he rose to his full height, and then offered a gloved hand out to Rief, while Rief merely stared at it in bemusement.

"I would appreciate your aid," said Alex after a moment's silence. "Then I wouldn't have to be alone."

"I'd be no help," Rief huffed, turning away from him stiffly. "I'm a healer; not an offender."

Silence reigned between them, while Rief felt Alex's gaze boring into his back. He felt guilty, in an odd sense, for not aiding him, yet at the same time he knew he wouldn't be the least bit useful; he never was back when he traveled with the other warriors, why would this time be different?

"You have Mia's spirit," Alex said thickly, though Rief wasn't sure why the sudden emotion filled his tone. "I see much of her within you."

Rief didn't respond, as he silently wished Alex to just go - die a valiant death if that was what he so wished: if he only would just leave him and his mother out of it.

"I could help," Marishka said after a moment's silence, as the two Adepts turned to face her in surprise.

"W-what?" Alex asked, staring at her intently.

"I'm no Adept," she admitted. "But I do know how to use a sword, if you were to give me one…"

"Sorry, we don't have any extras at the moment," Rief replied shortly. "And I don't think it'd be wise if someone without psynergy tried to fight them off. It'd be useless."

Alex barely nodded, as he swung a leg over the edge of the ship, his gaze returning to the Tuaparang soldiers intently, while Marishka looked a little put out.

"I'll be back," he uttered softly, as he turned away from the airship swiftly and crept towards the edge of the hill.

Rief watched; his nose rested on the bow of the ship. He hated feeling so helpless as he did then, only for some reason he'd grown accustomed to feeling this way more and more as they all traveled together – perhaps he really was too much of a weakling. Suddenly, a loud outcry rang across the fields, catching the attention of any Tuaparang soldier nearby. Alex froze in his steps, his eyes narrowed as he watched the scene ahead of him. Rief attempted to get a better view of what was happening down below; only he found that he couldn't make it out from where he stood.

"Marishka, wait here – I'll be right back," Rief said quickly, as he leapt down from the wooden bench and onto the cool, night grass.

"B-but-" Marishka stuttered, only it was too late – Rief had bounded down the hill to meet up with Alex breathlessly, as Alex threw out an arm to halt him.

"What was that all about?" he asked him, still panting hard as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Alex merely pointed ahead, and Rief saw for himself what the outcry had come from: a Tuaparang soldier being stabbed in the stomach by a familiar red head; one which made his heart leap with joy to see.

He immediately recognized the blur of green hair shoot out from across the field as Karis attacked a soldier with a sword – one that presumably didn't belong to her as the hilt of the sword as far bulkier than any sword that Karis had ever carried; not to mention the fact that her and Amiti had left their weapons and clothing with them after they chose to guise as dancers. As he trailed his gaze along the field, he recognized the other Adepts to be fighting as well. Rief's heart gave a small leap of joy – they had made it out after all! Without giving it another moment's thought, Rief rushed out to join in the valiant battle, casting douse on the nearest Tuaparang soldier he could find. Heavy droplets of rain mercilessly beat down upon the soldier, rendering it impossible for them to make anything out in front of them, let alone have the ability to move. Rief then moved over towards Tyrell, whom had been attempting to fight off two soldiers at once.

"Hi, Tyrell!" Rief exclaimed joyously, as the young Water Adept simply doused the two soldiers before Tyrell, making it so that Tyrell could finish them off with a clean blow of his sword with ease.

Tyrell threw Rief a bemused look, as he kicked one of the Tuaparang soldiers in the chest and hit the other with the hilt of his sword in the face.

"Rief –" Tyrell began breathlessly, but was unable to finish as a Tuaparang soldier came bearing down upon him, sword thrust in front of him as though preparing to charge clean through the Fire Adept. Before Tyrell or Rief could react, the soldier began to stagger backwards and soon fell to the ground, a pool of crimson accumulating around him. Amiti withdrew the blade of his sword from the soldier's back, watching with a severe look of distaste.

"Amiti! Once again you've proved your worth-" Tyrell said with a wry grin.

Amiti returned the smile, and then looked across the fields observantly.

"I don't think there's many of them left," Amiti said at last.

Rief nodded in agreement. "Neither do I."

"Then, come on! Let's get outta here!" Tyrell exclaimed, sheathing his sword before making his way swiftly towards the airships. "Now, which one of these beauties is ours?"

"The small one over there," said Rief, running to catch up with the eager Mars Adept. "Do you see it?"

Tyrell slowed his pace to a brisk walk, as he frowned slightly.

"You mean out of all the ships we could commandeer we're taking _that _little, bitty thing?" he said disappointedly, turning his gaze towards the Dark Matter that they had traveled on previously. "Man, I was looking forward to a bed."

"We'll sleep enough once we get back down to Weyard and are out of harm's way," said Amiti impatiently, catching up to Tyell. "I'll just be grateful when I can safely put this night behind me."

"Me too," Rief agreed, and he truly meant it.

As they neared the airship, they could see the head of Marishka peer slightly over the side of the ship before sitting up fully, relief washing over her rather rigid demeanor.

"Oh, good! I was getting worried!" she exclaimed as the three Adepts approached her. "But – where are the others?"

"They're coming, I believe," said Amiti, throwing a glance over his shoulder; his headdress long since cast away. "They were a bit farther down the hill than we were, but they should be on their way soon."

Marishka smiled, as if this answer sufficed it enough, and leaned back in her seat, allowing the Adepts to cross in front of her into the rowboat-sized airship.

"Did you get the item that you were looking for?" she queried after a moment's silence as the Adepts were seating themselves. Amiti's expression became grave at the mention of the tablet, and turned his gaze to the ship's floor.

"In a sense," he replied vaguely, and before Marishka could inquire more regarding the issue, the other Adepts slowly began to arrive. Kraden was in front of them, followed by Karis and Matthew. Amiti frowned after observing them for a moment.

"Wait a moment – where's Alex?" he asked.

Karis shrugged her shoulders, turning around to throw a glance back the way they had come.

"I don't know, haven't seen him," she replied dully, climbing into the airship after Kraden and sitting herself down alongside Rief.

"He's not here?" Matthew asked incredulously. Amiti shook his head, fear beginning to flood him once more as it had previously done several times that night; not that he entirely cared for Alex, but he would've been rather disappointed if he had fallen... Only he couldn't begin to explain why he felt that way.

"Someone should go looking for him," Karis suggested. "We can't just sit here all night."

"We won't have to," Rief said quietly, causing all pairs of eyes to turn to him.

"Yeah, we will," Tyrell said impatiently. "We don't know how to fly this thing! I was sorta hoping he might-"

"No, he told me before – before he left," Rief blurted, pulling out the dark orb from Alex's satchel with fumbling hands. "He told me to insert the orb into the little slot over there, and it would start up."

"But we still don't know how to fly it," said Karis. "And without knowing how to we might just – I don't know, crash I guess."

Rief swallowed hard; after everything they'd gone through that night, crashing in an airship didn't sound like a whole lot of fun to him.

"Don't worry, I'm here – there's no need to worry about crashing anymore," a sarcasm-filled voice said from behind them; Rief didn't have to turn around to know the voice belonged to Alex. Alex stepped prudently between the Adepts and sat beside Amiti, his gaze meeting Matthew's coldly.

"We haven't much time," he said flatly. "Insert the orb."

"You know, please and thank you are the magic words," Tyrell spat, rolling his eyes. Karis gave him a good kick from her seat, as Matthew took the glass orb from Rief's hands precariously and went over to the bow of the ship, considering the slot for a moment.

"In here?" he asked him.

"Yes!" Alex hissed, showing no sign of patience whatsoever.

Matthew did so, as the engine instantly and soundlessly came to life.

"Wow, what technology." Matthew breathed, not being able to hide his awe for the Tuaparang's device.

"Yes, yes everything's technologically advanced within the Tuaparang." Alex waved a hand dismissively. "It's all backed up with Alchemy. Without it, these machines would cease to exist. Now please, Matthew, let us begin descending."

Matthew considered all of the switches and buttons carefully, not knowing which function performed what!

"But, I don't –" he blurted, as Alex forcefully made his way to the bow of the ship beside Matthew and pushed a button for him.

"We just don't have –" Alex began, and Matthew assumed that he was going to finish his sentence with "time" until something in the distance seemed to catch the Water Adept's attention. His turquoise eyes widened in surprise, as he quickly threw a lever down and began to steer off-land.

"I think we're already too late!" he hissed, jarring them into the sides of the ship and into each other as he made a rather sharp turn. "They're onto us!"

As they sped off in a direction opposite of the Zenith Isle, Matthew squinted in attempts to make out the source of Alex's worry – it was then that he saw it: two airships just smaller than their own came bounding towards them in leaps; it was quite apparent that these ships were piloted by the Tuaparang, and were intending on placing a halt on their escape.

"Oh, no! They're onto us!" Karis exclaimed, turning in her seat to watch the scene as well. "Is there anything we can do?"

Alex's eyes flitted across the numerous controls briefly, as he threw a glance over his shoulder to see the progression of the ships. They were damn fast, faster than he had expected – unless perhaps the ship he had chosen was just a little too slow, he wasn't entirely sure which, and at the moment it didn't really seem to matter.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Alex replied grimly. "They haven't shot any missiles at us yet."

"Missiles?" Tyrell asked incredulously, watching one of the airships zip up so that its bow was nearly parallel with the stern. "You mean it's like a battleship?"

Alex swerved left and right, and then dipped down lowly in hopes of throwing their pursuers back, yet it seemed to do no good. Karis began to feel nauseous from their ride, yet she knew better than to say anything about it – their lives hung by a thin thread at the moment.

It was at that moment that the party heard the sickening smack of metal against metal, as the impact of a bullet jarred the stern of their ship, causing Kraden and Tyrell to fall forward.

"We've been hit!" Rief exclaimed, fear rising in him rapidly as he watched one of the airships come dangerously close to them.

"I can tell that!" Alex snapped bitterly, his brow furrowed in deep concentration as he continued to fly the ship haphazardly through the night sky. The ship no longer flew as smoothly as it once had, as smoke continued to fume from the place where the missile had struck them.

"They're going to catch us," Tyrell groaned.

Alex shot a glance towards his left, as he then peered over the side of the ship towards the world below them.

"This is going to be a long-shot, but at the moment it's our best bet of survival – this ship can't hold out much longer!" Alex called out over the roar of the wind whipping mercilessly against their faces. "Hold on tight everyone, we're going down!"

Karis shot a glance towards Amiti, whose expression held just as much anxiety as hers did, as their ship suddenly shot straight downwards, plunging rapidly towards Weyard below, down into the dark, hardened earth below.

**Author's Note:**

Okay, they're out of Zenith Isle now, as promised ;) Though not very far out – you'll have to wait till next chapter to see where they ended up!

Is the plot making sense to everyone so far? Also, let me know if I'm starting to head a little too "out-there" with all of my happenings. I'm always worried about that. Another thing I'm wondering, and would love your input on: am I lingering over one given topic for too long?

Anyhow, as you've probably noticed I've been a little slower to get updates up. I expect that to probably be the case for a while now, as I'm rather busy with real life affairs at the moment. Though I do hope to continue updating weekly, or somewhere around those lines (don't pin me to a particular time frame – I just don't work that way :D)

Also, one thing I'd like to note: I am a _storyteller_, not a poet! (as you could probably tell with my Psynergy Well riddle :P )

As always, thanks for reading! Hope to see you all next chapter!

**Akemina-neechan: **It'll probably be awhile before you stumble upon this note, but I wanted to thank you once more for your review, and hope that you've enjoyed the story up to this point. I'm working through the previous chapters now to capitalize Adepts (yeah, I wasn't too consistent about doing so initially *sheepish grin*, so I'm fixing that now.) Thanks for pointing that out!

**CreationsGoneAwry: **As always, I love your reviews ;) I'm sorry if I wasn't too specific about the Dark Adepts; I have an odd tendency to speak in riddles (my sleep deprivation in writing these chapters probably plays a role in that matter). But anyway, remember that dark, shadowy stuff that plagued Weyard in DD during the Grave Eclipse? I envisioned the Zenith Isle to be surrounded in something like that; an impenetrable shadow that continues to strengthen and grow within the Isle, and the Dark Adepts are powered-up by this substance. Hope that clears some things up! Did I word it too confusingly in the story, I wonder? (makes a mental note to go check on that soon). Also, a side note… I was keeping all of your past reviews in mind whilst going to touch up previous chapters and wow, I couldn't believe all of the errors I found! Sorry about that – and thank you once again for pointing them all out to me, particularly my grammar errors :) Part of that was my laziness to proofread, but another part, I'm afraid, was my own ignorance.


	23. Advice from the Waelda

**Chapter 23:**

Karis could hear nothing over the loud roar of wind rushing past her ears as they continued to plummet mercilessly towards Weyard below – into a darkness that couldn't be made out for the life of her. She couldn't scream; she was too paralyzed with surprise and fear to do so. She could only continue to stare straight ahead with wide eyes and an expression only held by one who saw death before them - perhaps she had just then.

After a few moments, Karis felt the airship shudder violently as it crashed into something from below; it slowed their descent and she could hear the sound of something ripping apart. "_Please don't let that be the airship,"_ she prayed silently to herself, as the ship seemed to spin out of control and she found herself being ejected from the airship headfirst.

Karis let out a scream that rang through the perilous night as she continued to fall at a steady pace. Her hands reached out to grasp anything that could stop her fall, but all that they enclosed upon was the thin air rushing past her. She closed her eyes, as she attempted to calm her raging heart.

"I'm dying," she told herself, as though this would help in calming her any. "I'm dying and there's nothing I can do about it."

After a few fleeting moments, Karis reopened her eyes to see the stars overhead; how small they seemed to her now, as she fell farther and farther away from them. She also noticed that stars were not the only thing that she could see above her, but something which seemed to be… leaves…

And tree branches adorned with icicles, too. As Karis watched it curiously, wondering just _what _part of Weyard they had landed upon, Karis felt her back hit something mercilessly hard and let out a cry in pain. She ricocheted off of it and fell face-first into a soft, cold mass of something, while it took her several moments to discern the cold substance to in fact be snow.

Snow… Karis just adored snow; it was a great blessing that she was able to see some once more before she died. She then closed her eyes as she rested her cheek against the cold, soft snowflakes and waited until her dreary body drifted off into the afterlife.

~(*)~

"Karis, Karis! Get up quickly! We must move, _now_ before they notice!" a familiar voice whispered urgently in her ear as she felt someone rousing her into an upright position, pulling her up from her place in the blanket of snow and onto her knees.

"Mmm?" Karis barely moaned, opening her eyes to make out the snow in front of her. This didn't make very much sense to Karis: she'd seen this very same snow for quite some time now, why wasn't she dead or at the very least dying? Then it occurred to her…

"You mean I actually _survived _that fall?" Karis asked incredulously to no one in particular as her accomplice desperately attempted to lift her to her feet, though kept having to reposition her in order to do so.

"Yes! But we aren't going to survive long if they find us here!" Amiti said desperately in her ear, as Karis pulled herself from his grasp and lifted herself up.

The sea foam haired girl looked around in bewilderment, yet in a pleasant fashion just the same. She couldn't believe that they'd actually survived the fall, she had been certain they were goners. She stood in what seemed to be a thick blanket of snow, with an occasional leaf poking through every so often. The stars still twinkled overhead amidst branches blanketed with the fluffy snow, though they now appeared to be more faint than they had been previously. Karis frowned as she looked out into the distance: for some reason it still seemed as though they were far from the ground. She turned around to face Amiti, his pale, fearful visage striking fear within her own chest.

"Amiti, what is it? Where did we land?" she asked him, as the ground beneath them suddenly began to shake.

Karis lost her balance and fell into him, whilst Amiti already had been fighting to remain standing upright. The shaking didn't cease, as the snow seemed to fall in sheets within the center of the platform, revealing many leaves and branches below their feet. Karis stared incredulously at the strong, sturdy branches, while Amiti lowered himself down onto the snowy platform and pulled Karis down with him.

"Where are we?" Karis repeated, as Amiti released her and began running his hands through the fluffy snow, as though searching for something.

"This platform's not safe," he told her without fully answering her question, "we need to get down from here and onto the ground _quickly._"

As Karis raised an eyebrow, the platform underneath them shook violently, causing Amiti to be thrown off the side of it, as he grasped some strong branches within the snow firmly, putting an abrupt halt to his fall.

"WHAT IS IN MY BRANCHES?" a voice bellowed from underneath where they stood: a voice in which seemed to shake the very branches that Karis and Amiti had been perched atop of.

Karis offered a hand to help Amiti up, until the branches that supported the platform of snow shook violently once more, throwing Karis headfirst downward towards more snow below. Karis let out a scream as she fell countless feet below, turning head over heels as she plummeted downwards.

"Hang on – I'll catch you!" she heard a familiar voice shout from below her as she felt herself being caught in midair by strong, brawny arms and swiftly put on her feet.

She let out a sigh as she turned around to face her savior.

"Thanks Tyrell," she said, smiling up at the Fire Adept warmly.

Tyrell shrugged, offering her a grin in return.

"What else are friends for?" he said with a wink.

Matthew and Kraden appeared from behind Tyrell, as the young Venus Adept offered Karis a slight smile. At that moment, a loud snap of a branch could be heard, as the three Adepts turned around to find Amiti falling from the same location as Karis had.

"Damn, we're too far away," Tyrell muttered under his breath. "Laurel, can you move us closer so that he'll land safely?"

Laurel? Karis craned her neck to look up the trunk of the massive tree before them to find the serene face of Laurel smiling down at them.

"I'll do my best," she said softly, as they felt their platform move ferociously under their feet, so that it rested directly below Amiti. No one made a motion to catch the Water Adept – perhaps Tyrell hadn't found it as necessary – as he fell with a dull thud into the platform of leaves and snow.

"Are you okay?" Karis asked concernedly, moving over towards him as he pulled himself up to his knees.

He shook the snow from his hair, as he looked up to meet her eye with a slightly dazed expression; perhaps it had been the result of falling as many feet as they had within the last ten minutes.

"Yes, I'm fine," he managed to reply breathlessly, as he fought his way upright, brushing the snow off of his dancer's attire meticulously. "Where are the others? Are they still in Tret's branches?"

"Tret? So _that's _where we were. That explains it," Karis said, realization hitting her. "D'you suppose he's… Well, mad that we landed on him?"

"I'm sure he's not all too thrilled about it," Laurel replied wearily, as her deep green eyes gazed upon her companion with very little enthusiasm. "But I'm certain that he won't intentionally harm anyone."

The three Adepts watched Tret with uncertainty as the massive, angry tree proceeded to shake his limbs violently, sending snow falling to the ground in heaps from his branches above. Amidst one of those heaps of snow was Rief, as he fell viciously towards the ground below.

"Quick, over there!" cried Karis, as she pointed frantically to Rief's falling figure. Laurel jerked their branch over towards him, and caught Rief and his heap of snow as well.

"Hey, kid! Why'd you choose to fall in a pile of snow?" Tyrell asked, pulling the young Mercury Adept up by the arm. "Didn't you know it would overpower you?"

"I d-didn't mean to!" Rief stuttered, as he took off his glasses to wipe the lens clear of snow. "It just sort of happened that way."

Tyrell chuckled to himself, as he let Rief go, nearly causing him to fall forward out of surprise.

"Hey, by the way… Any chance that you'd spotted the others up there? I never noticed them, but then again I'd never fallen into Tret's tree. Laurel caught me as I was falling down to the ground."

Rief shook his head, snow falling from his aqua blue hair as he did so.

"I couldn't see everything from where I was," he admitted, "but I saw no sign of Alex or Marishka, no."

"That was very kind of you," said Amiti, temporarily disregarding Tyrell and Rief's discussion as he turned to the Tree of Wisdom and bowed his head lowly. "I cannot begin to express our gratitude. We owe you our lives."

Karis watched him precariously, wondering if he was going to get hysterical again and bow to the massive Waelda, though he seemed to have come to terms with the fact that they weren't some kind of god, unlike their first trip into Kolima Forest. It was quite an embarrassment to the group, for the moment Amiti had laid eyes upon the two trees of the Waelda he had gotten down on his hands and knees and bowed to them, addressing them as though they were gods despite the fact that Laurel had been trying to deny it. Needless to say, Karis was quite relieved that Amiti hadn't resorted to doing that again, she didn't know if she could've lived it down if he did.

"Oh, please Amiti, it's the very least I could do," she replied carelessly, without giving the matter much thought. "I'm only sorry that you had to experience a fall such as yours. How terrifying."

"Actually, it wasn't too bad," Tyrell said pleasantly, as he threw his arms up in the air and stretched.

Matthew stole a look at his friend and shook his head – sometimes Tyrell just didn't take things seriously. He peered up into Tret's boughs; only he didn't have high hopes of being able to make out anything. Between the falling sheets of snow and the vicious movements of Tret's limbs, it was impossible to decipher if Alex and Marishka were indeed in the tree still, or if they had fallen elsewhere.

"You don't suppose we could – like – calm him down or something, do you?" Matthew asked hopefully, turning to the Tree of Wisdom.

Laurel sighed, as she closed her eyes in exasperation – not because of Matthew's request, but for the irrational state in which her friend was behaving.

"I'll see what I can do."

Karis nearly leapt over the side at the roar that seemed to echo through the forest at that given moment, as Laurel attempted to be heard overtop of all the commotion that Tret had been stirring up, while Tyrell had actually fallen over in surprise.

"TRET! YOU STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!"

To the Adept's astonishment, the massive tree indeed stopped his struggle, and frowned at Laurel in bemusement.

"Stop what?" he muttered in a grumpy fashion. "Something hit me!"

"Well, that _something _happened to be our friends – just look and see."

Tret's gaze peered down at the Adepts below on Laurel's branch, as he harrumphed.

"No, it wasn't them, they're down here," he replied, "something hit me from up in my branches! Something big and heavy!"

"No, I'm sorry, Tret, but it was us," said Karis in a tone of sincere regret, as the Jupiter Adept wrung her hands in shame. "It was our airship – we hadn't meant to fall where we had –"

"We had no choice in the matter, really," Matthew added wistfully, meeting the eye of the Waelda solemnly. This seemed to calm Tret down some, as he still eyed the two of them precariously.

"So… it was _you _that broke my limbs?" he asked in the queerest of tones, as though he didn't wish to believe it.

"We broke you?" Amiti asked disbelievingly. "Please tell me it isn't so!"

"My goodness, I – I'm so sorry, Tret!" Karis exclaimed. "I don't know what to say!"

"Never mind that now, children. It wasn't your intention, I'm sure," said Laurel calmly, as though not wishing to upset Tret by further discussion over his broken limbs. "Now, there were others with you, you say?"

"Yes, two others," Karis broke in at last, "a blue haired man and a Gondowan slave woman were with us. Do you suppose they're still on top of Tret?"

"Hmm, I don't think there's anything else there…" Tret said slowly, as he began to shake his limbs, though much more gently this time. Snow began to fall from them, but no one came down with it. "I don't feel anyone, at any rate."

For some unknown reason – perhaps because Alex was Amiti's father, and he was presumably dead - all eyes turned towards Amiti, as the Water Adept shrugged in response.

"Perhaps they found another way down," he suggested, though inwardly he rather doubted it. "Or perhaps they had gone down with the ship…"

"_Which might not have been a pleasant outcome," _Karis thought to herself as she shook her head; she didn't really wish to think of it, or voice it aloud. She wasn't entirely certain on how Amiti regarded his father, and didn't wish to upset him.

"Why were you falling down with an airship anyway?" Laurel asked calmly, as she turned her soft gaze towards them. "Unless of course it is a personal matter?"

Matthew shook his head, as his hands ran subconsciously over his soldier's attire.

"No, it's certainly not personal," he replied. "We were being pursued by the Tuaparang and Alex decided to crash land us to escape from their grasp."

Laurel stared blankly at the Venus Adept momentarily, while the other tree beside them broke into a fierce laugh.

"That hardly made any sense," Tret said gruffly. "You'll have to give us more details if we're to understand what you're saying, laddie."

"Well, alright –" Matthew said, drawing in a breath, "-but it's a very long story."

"We're old and have been around for much longer than you can imagine," said Laurel, "we can handle a very long tale."

Matthew let out a deep sigh, and then began to retell the events that had taken place throughout that week; starting with their arrival in Passaj whilst looking for Kraden, and then being taken in by the Tuaparang. He described the state the Zenith Isle had been in, and the conditions in which they had been held under.

"- And that's when Alex decided to help us escape –" Tyrell interjected, "or so I think, I'm not really sure-"

"Anyway," Matthew said loudly, to be sure that he overwrote whatever Tyrell had to say, "Kraden had wanted us to arrive in Zenith Isle all along because of a dear valuable that they possessed-"

"Oh? And what was this?" Laurel asked, her eyes still resting upon the Venus Adept intently.

"A hunk of rock that they'd stolen from Lemuria a really long time ago," Tyrell answered as Matthew began to open his mouth. "It's really old, you see, and has some legend about a Psynergy Well or something-"

"Oh, would you stop it already?" Matthew muttered through gritted teeth, but Tyrell only continued to speak on.

"-And it's written in an text that only Matthew can read,"

"I said 'enough', Tyrell," Matthew said forcefully, nudging the Mars Adept hard in the ribs, "I can speak for myself, alright?"

"Alright, geez, don't need to get so grouchy about it," Tyrell said, rubbing his side ruefully. "And what did I tell you about not having to nudge me to get me to do things?"

"Stop it, you two," Karis said dismissively, as she turned to face the female tree once more. "Anyway, the engravings on the stone tablet – they spoke of two locations that we need to find, and because it was told to us in a riddle, we're having difficulties in deciphering where these locations really are. Do you think you could help us?"

"Mmm," Tret muttered after a moments long pause while the two trees had mused over the matter, "You're talking about the tablet of Alapheria: the stone placed upon Weyard by the Ancients that sealed away Magnos and describes how to unlock him, is that correct?"

Karis's heart gave a leap of joy, as she abruptly turned around to face the other massive tree, her dancer's skirt twirling around as she did so.

"Yes! That's the one!" she exclaimed. "Do you know anything about it?"

"I do," Tret replied gruffly, "but I won't share it with you."

"Why ever not?" Amiti asked in astonishment.

Tret glared at Amiti out of the corner of his eye, with such malice that it nearly made the Mercury Adept cringe.

"Because who'd wish to unleash a monster of mass destruction? Troublemakers, that's who, and I won't help such troublemakers bring destruction upon Weyard _again._ I mean, last time was bad enough-"

"What do you mean last time?" Amiti asked furiously, turning so that he faced Tret directly. "When did we bring destruction upon Weyard? We had actually saved it, if I recall-"

Matthew knew what Tret had meant; he'd been referring to the Grave Eclipse, and how they had brought it about, despite the fact that Matthew had given his word that he would not.

"I think that is behind us now," Laurel said cautiously, as she eyed the Venus Adept knowingly. "Sometimes we do things out of ignorance, at times. I'm certain that these Adepts meant no harm. They were simply coerced."

"Hmph, I don't believe it," Tret muttered, though everyone chose to ignore him.

"Yes, children, I do know some things about the legend of which you speak of," Laurel said suddenly, catching the attention of the surrounding Adepts, "But if I may ask: why is it that you're trying to obtain this information?"

Kraden moved Rief aside gently as he made his way forward in front of the party, for the first time truly making his appearance upon their arrival.

"Perhaps I can explain," the elderly scholar said. "You see, a terrible disease is plaguing Weyard, and everything leads back to Magnos. He's draining the world of psynergy, and with this depletion from all living things – including the planet itself – Magnos will break free and reign once again. We cannot allow this, and hence are pursuing the legend of the Psynergy Well. To get down there and destroy Magnos is our only hope of putting an end to this disease."

The trees remained silent a moment, as they thought over what Kraden had to say. The sun slowly began to rise over the horizon, as it set a pinkish glow into the darkened sky, reminding them that it would soon be daylight, and they still hadn't slept for two days – or at least, hadn't slept _well _in that duration.

"The disease is not being caused by Magnos directly," Laurel said slowly, "I hope you realize this."

Matthew tilted his head quizzically, as the Waelda went on, "The disease is actually a result of one being entirely drained of psynergy, and this depletion puts the Adept into a very ill state. Perhaps some of you have experienced what it is like to be drained of your psynergy to almost being devoid of it?"

"Yeah, I have," Tyrell said nodding, as he recalled the incident where he'd flown the Soarwing into the forest below the Goma Plateau and being drained of his psynergy by the massive vortex, "It feels as though… you're dying."

"Yes," Laurel replied, "and technically you are. An Adept cannot survive without at least a small portion of psynergy, even for a short matter of time. And with these vortexes depleting surrounding areas of psynergy entirely, it is causing populations of Adepts to fall ill… and die."

"So there really isn't a disease after all?" Karis asked, turning to Matthew for confirmation.

"I think the source of this disease is the depletion of psynergy, and not a true virus itself," Kraden said, shaking his head. "It's quite terrible – but our hope is to destroy Magnos and put an end to the draining of psynergy altogether."

"Destroy Magnos? Why, even the Ancients couldn't do that," Tret muttered in his grumpy tone, "that's why they sealed him away – only thing they could do with him. Do you really think that you small bunch of Adepts can stop him?"

"It will be a challenge," Laurel admitted, "but I have full faith in these children and their wise leader. If anyone can do it, they can."

Tret grumbled something under his breath, only no one seemed to catch what he said. Laurel went on, "it seems as though you were asking our advice on something; something about a location written on the tablet that you couldn't quite discern?"

"Oh yes," Matthew said, his thoughts returning back to him. "We need to find the two elemental stones in order to locate the Psynergy Well. On the ancient tablet, it discusses them, but they're given to us within a riddle without specifying the exact location. We were wondering if you could help us."

Laurel nodded in consent, as she turned her gaze upon Matthew once more.

"You do realize that there is more to finding the Psynergy Well than just the two elemental stones, correct?"

Matthew blinked.

"More?"

"There's a map as well," Amiti spoke up suddenly, as he recalled his visit with Alex back in Tolbi so many nights ago, back when he and his father had been on friendly terms, "or some ancient star chart, I'm not entirely certain. But you need it in order to find the Well, do you not?"

Laurel glanced over at Amiti with admiration, as though clearly impressed.

"Yes, that is correct. There is the Eraoul involved."

"The Eraoul?" Rief repeated. "What's that?"

"It's a map enchanted by the Ancients to reveal the hidden location of the Psynergy Well once both elemental stones are placed upon it," Laurel explained simply. "Each stone has its own set of engravings, and once both are placed upon the Eraoul, legend has it that it will show you the way."

"That – makes a lot of sense," Matthew admitted, as he recalled the legend that had been engraved upon the tablet. "That would explain why the legend mentioned needing the two eyes in order to see the way."

Dawn thickened around them as they continued to speak with the Waelda. The sky was fully aglow at this point, and birds had broken out into song as they flitted between branches of trees. It was funny how time had a way of passing sometimes. It hadn't seemed as though they had ever been imprisoned on Zenith Isle on the one hand, as it seemed so insignificant and far away. Yet on the other, it was still quite fresh within the young minds of the Adepts, and seemed as though it hadn't been very long ago at all. Matthew's mind flitted back to the legend, as he watched the letters of the ancient text run through his mind, as though it had been recorded and was being played, regardless if he wanted it to or not.

"In the legend," Matthew broke in, as he struggled to remember the phrases, "it mentioned two locations: one is said to be in the lands of barren forests, atop a rocky plain; and then the other is to be deep between the seas, on an island shrouded by mist. Do you – do you have any ideas what these locations might actually be?"

He could hear Laurel breathe deeply, as she closed her eyes, as though contemplating Matthew's question. Matthew's heart pounded in his throat, as he craned his neck up towards the sky to watch her. He then heard the rusting of leaves behind him, as Tret spoke in his low, gravelly voice that seemed to vibrate even through him from where his stood.

"Deep between seas on an island shrouded by mist, hmm?" Tret repeated, a pleasant smile imprinted upon his visage. "It must be referring to Lemuria. There's no other island that I know of that's shrouded by more mist than that place."

Kraden nodded in consent from behind Matthew, as all eyes turned towards the elderly scholar.

"Ah yes, of course, it would make sense that the legend is referring to Lemuria," Kraden muttered to himself. "Although if one of the stones is indeed there, we might have troubles locating it. Lemuria is quite a difficult island to find."

Matthew blinked as he fought to make sense out of Kraden's claim, until Laurel spoke after many moments of contemplating the legend.

"Yes, Lemuria would be the most logical place for the one stone that is mentioned to reside on an island shrouded by mist," she admitted, "for Lemuria has always been described as "the city shrouded by mist". I'm not certain on the barren forest, though."

"It doesn't make much sense to me," Tret muttered lowly. "How can a forest be barren? Unless it no longer exists perhaps?"

"Atop a rocky plain," Karis rehearsed under her breath, as she fought to make sense of it. "I think it's meant to be something real easy, we just need to figure out what it is,"

Matthew agreed with her; the answer quite likely resided right under their noses, it was only a matter of coming up with the right theory.

"Well, if one of the stones is in Lemuria…" Amiti said slowly, attempting to rationalize it all," then where could the other stone be? Is there perhaps another island that is devoid of vegetation somewhere?"

Kraden shook his head solemnly as Amiti rested his emerald green eyes upon him hesitantly.

"I don't think Lemuria would be any indication as to where the other stone resides, Amiti," Kraden replied firmly. "Though that was a very clever theory, I think the two locations aren't related to one another in any way."

"Besides, we don't need both of the stones anyway," Karis spoke up, causing all eyes to shift towards the Jupiter Adept. She blushed slightly at all of the attention she'd drawn. "I mean, the Tuaparang had already found one of the stones and had it in their possession until it was stolen, right? So that means they've already stumbled upon the barren forest or the island shrouded in mist-"

"But which one?" Amiti asked, the very same question that had been running through all of their minds.

It was a very good question, and unfortunately, none of them could provide a very good answer. Kraden had been convicted of stealing one of the stones, only he indeed hadn't – and none of the Adepts knew where that stone currently resided. It wasn't within the hands of the Tuaparang – that thought alone was comforting. The only factor that discomforted them all remained that the stone could be _anywhere,_ and it might become quite difficult to find.

"Alex knew," Amiti said bitterly. "He knew who took the Luna Stone because he never seemed very concerned in finding it. It was only the Sol Stone that he was ever worried about."

"The eye of darkness is in the island shrouded by mist," Matthew said slowly, as he thought the verse over once more, "and the eye of light is in the rocky forest, only which one is which?"

"I'm assuming the eye of light would represent the Sol Stone, only I'm not entirely certain," Kraden said lowly. "I'd hate to only work with that presumption, because it might not be entirely valid. It's quite hard to know which eye the stones represent."

"In that case we should travel to both locations, "Karis said, nodding in Matthew's direction. "Except, how do you suppose we get to Lemuria?"

Laurel watched the Adepts tentatively a moment, until she spoke up once more.

"You will need a specially crafted Lemurian ship to make it through the raging seas," she told them. "Do you know of any such ship?"

"No," Matthew replied instantly, before even giving it any thought. "I have no clue where we'd find a Lemurian crafted ship –"

It was quite true; Matthew had no idea. Piers was from Lemuria, so it was quite likely that his ship had been crafted by Lemurians, only he had no idea how to even find Piers at that point in time, let alone hold any hopes of borrowing his ship to ride to Lemuria. He knew of none other, and slightly doubted that any ship upon Morgal – or Angara for that matter – was built with high enough standards to reach the island.

"Piers has a ship," Kraden replied almost in answer, "Only he's still back in Passaj, where I'd left him, I would imagine."

Matthew looked up suddenly, unaware that Piers had been so close at one point in time.

"Piers is in Passaj?" Matthew asked sharply, his blue eyes searching Kraden over critically. "Then that's not too far away, we could get back there and ask him for his ship."

"It sounds like the best option," Karis admitted.

Everyone's gaze finally turned upon Kraden for the final approval before officially setting the plan into motion. Kraden hesitated slightly, as he turned to face Laurel once more.

"No ideas on the barren forest atop a rocky plain, eh?" he asked in a tone filled with disappointment.

Laurel closed her eyes, as her face contorted into an expression of deep sorrow.

"I'm very sorry, I wish I could offer you more advice, only I have none," was her reply, as the Tree of Wisdom wistfully turned her gaze upon her old friend. "Tret, what say you?"

Tret, seeming to be startled out of a doze, opened his eyes and wrinkled his nose.

"No idea," he answered shortly, "but I do know it's not here, at any rate."

Kraden sighed; he really didn't know either, and only hoped that they'd find clues along the way that would point them in the right direction, or better yet, find that they didn't have to travel to the rocky plain at all.

"And maybe the stone that we need is in Lemuria and we won't have to find the forest," Rief spoke up, speaking the very thoughts that Kraden had contemplated himself. "That would certainly be nice."

"It would be," Matthew admitted. "Only I don't think we should have our hearts set on it, we might be sorely disappointed."

Amiti's gaze traveled away from the party as his eyes lingered upon a corner within a thicket of the forest. He'd noticed something gleam from within it, but that wasn't the reason he'd been so intently staring upon it. So much had transpired over the course of the past 48 hours, and he felt as though his mind couldn't keep up with it all. Perhaps it was only a matter of needing sleep, or perhaps it was only a matter of sitting down and thinking things through, but he felt as though they weren't much better off than they had been when they'd first begun their journey, back when he and Alex had first discussed the stones that night in Tolbi that seemed to be so many nights ago.

"If only Alex were here now," Amiti thought bitterly to himself, "he would likely know what stone we should go after, and where the barren forest is."

Only Alex wasn't there, he was nowhere to be found; not that this surprised the Mercury Adept any, for Alex was notorious for disappearing off places and leaving the others behind. He knew better than to assume Alex was dead from the collision upon Tret's tree – no, Alex was too powerful to be killed so easily. He'd probably wandered off somewhere on his own agenda – and perhaps they would run into him along the way – but Amiti somehow knew he wasn't dead, despite the others' beliefs that he indeed was. He wasn't sure about the poor dancer, Marishka. She might've died, for all he knew, only he found that he really wasn't as concerned for her as perhaps he should've been – she was, after all, quite an encumbrance to them.

Amiti shivered, only this time he thought it was actually from the cold and not only from the foreboding thoughts that persisted to cloud his mind. He was still only clothed in the long, dancer's skirt, with naught but jewels upon his upper body, and those did nothing for warmth. A light snow had begun to fall upon the forest, as it collected in the Adepts' hair and onto their shoulders. He glanced over at Karis; she was cold as well, he could tell. Her lips were turning blue as she quivered slightly, though from the way she stood, it would've been nearly impossible to tell had he not been studying her. Amiti broke into the others' thoughts, feeling to be quite intrusive as he did so.

"Do you suppose we could muse over this in the village? I do not know how the rest of you are, but I'm very cold, and I think Karis is as well." He nodded over towards the Jupiter Adept, whose violet eyes traveled over him with the oddest expression.

Matthew turned to throw a sideways glance over at Karis, and nodded.

"Yes, we probably should get warmed up before we set out again –"

"Hello? Just get warmed up?" Tyrell spoke up, reminding all of the Adepts that the normally vocal Mars Adept was indeed still present. "What about some food? And some sleep? You all promised that we'd get some rest after we left that stinking Tuaparang place – and, well – I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm getting some!"

Amiti watched the Mars Adept with the queerest expression, then brought his eyes up to meet Matthew's.

"He's right – we could use some rest."

Matthew hesitated before agreeing, as he then turned to face Laurel once more.

"Thank you so much for your help," he said, and then added as an afterthought, "and for saving us."

Laurel offered him a serene smile, as the corners of her eyes wrinkled gently.

"It is always an honor to help you, my friends," she said softly, and then sighed. "I wish my dear companion would bid you farewell also, but seeing that he has returned to his deep slumber, I will have to wish you the best from the both of us."

They all turned to face the other Waelda, and sure enough, the massive tree was sound asleep, snoring softly to himself.

Matthew held back a chuckle, as he shook his head.

"It's fine, thank you, Laurel."

"You're very welcome," Laurel replied, "May you find the greatest success in your travels, and bring light upon our darkened era once more."

With that, the Adepts and Kraden found the branches from where they stood shake abruptly, as they descended lower to the ground below.

"Good luck… my dear Adepts. May the protection of the forest be with you, when nothing else is."

**Author's Note:**

This chapter was rather dialogue heavy, my apologies on that. There were many things that I had wanted to clear up on regarding the disease and the key items to unlocking the Psynergy Well, so I deemed this chapter necessary :D Hope it wasn't too much of a burden to sort through, and I sincerely hope that it made a fair amount of sense. If it didn't, however, please let me know – I'll want to correct that :)

As always, reviews would be lovely. I always appreciate constructive criticism or any advice that you may give; whether it be plot related, characterization or grammar, I like it all just the same! Thank you!

**CreationsGoneAwry: **Ah good, I'm glad to hear that the riddle managed to pass your critical eye ;) (it's a good critical, of course!) Also, I realize that I hadn't worded the tablet and Karis hiding scenario very well, but there was more than just the one 300 lb tablet in the room, so Karis wasn't sure which one was the one that they were searching for at any given point in time. So in other words, Karis knew of the 300 lb tablet, and knew that she could've hid behind it if it weren't nailed to the wall, but there were other tablets as well and not solely the one that they were searching for. I do think I should change the wording on that though – as it was rather confusing.

Also, I worked a bit on the dialogue grammar throughout this chapter. How does it look?

**Daedalus370: **Congratulations upon reaching this point ;) I just wanted to thank you again for your reviews, they've been immensely helpful and I sincerely appreciate it. I hope that you found some things to improve upon reaching this point versus some of the earlier chapters, namely the emotion that is to be found in Karis. I've tried to express her thoughts and emotions more in later chapters. Is it easier to connect with her than it had been, I hope? I'm still working on it, at any rate :)


	24. Fallen Love

**Chapter XXIV:**

The sunlight blinded Amiti as he fought to make out the room around him. White. Everything was white. Including the walls, the ceiling and the floor, with no décor to offset the absence of color surrounding him. The only thing that broke up the solidity of the room was a window to his right; it remained open, only he couldn't make out what was outside of it, for the sunlight pouring through blinded him so that he could hardly make out the room at all. Then, slowly, he noticed the dark haired woman that remained kneeled down with her back to him, the very same woman that he had met once before in a dream - or at the very least, he'd thought it had been a dream. But Amiti partly wondered how real some dreams could be, for at times, they seemed anything but the imagination at work.

"You're late," the woman's soft tone echoed throughout the vacant room. Though the voice was much as Amiti had remembered, it held a slight edge of sorrow, or perhaps pain to it.

"Yes, and I'm most terribly sorry," came a reply from behind the Water Adept; a voice in which made the fine hairs on the back of Amiti's neck stand on end.

Without turning around, Amiti stood rooted to the spot, finding himself incapable of moving even if he wished to. He heard the sound of footsteps reverberating in his mind as they drew nearer, until at last they halted and he felt an ice, cold breath hitting the back of his neck.

"I had no choice, Veriti."

The dark haired woman before Amiti turned so that she now faced him, though her tear-filled emerald green eyes did not meet his own, but seemed to look far beyond him at the man whom which stood behind him.

"You made a promise, Alex. A vow not easily broken."

Alex? Amiti turned his head slightly, to find none other than his father standing behind him, bowing his head lowly as he averted his turquoise gaze from the woman uneasily.

"You know I have never been good at keeping my vows," Alex replied thickly, brushing stray strands of aqua blue hair from his face. "Not ever since I was a child. But I want you to know, Veriti, that I have meant each and every one of them."

Veriti, who had been knelt down, slowly rose to her feet, as she watched the elder Mercury Adept with a saddened expression, her eyes not once moving towards her son whatsoever.

"I wish I could believe you, though it's hard. Especially hard. What are you doing here now, if I may ask?"

Alex opened his mouth, and then quickly shut it again. Amiti had never seen him this flustered, and he had to admit that it surprised him. Alex; the man that was always so confident, self-assured and arrogant, seemed to be none of those things at that moment, but in fact he seemed to very much resemble the conditions he had been in when speaking with Amiti back in Tolbi, on the very night he first discovered that he had a son. At last, Alex moved forward towards Veriti, and yet while he looked as though he wished to embrace her, he stopped a couple of feet short of her, a look of longing written cleanly upon his expression.

"I had – this one opportunity to see you again," he replied thickly, and Amiti could've sworn he saw a shimmer of tears within the Mercury Adept's eyes, "and I couldn't pass it up – forgive me for being selfish."

"Alex-" The woman watched him silently for a moment, and then abruptly rushed forward towards him and embraced him. Alex buried his face into her dark curls, as he ran a hand down her white gown made of a material seeming to be silk.

"I swear that I will make my vows up to you one day – I swear that I will, Veriti. Even if it kills me in the process, I will do it," Alex said firmly, as though attempting to convince himself of this rather than just her.

"Take care of our son, then," she said softly, her voice muffled from the fabric of his shirt that she had burrowed her face into. "He needs you, more than anyone at the moment. Please be there for him, even if it brings your name to shame."

Alex's eyes widened, though he said nothing. Amiti continued to watch them curiously from where he stood, though he felt partly guilty for doing so. Although he still wasn't sure on how he regarded Alex at the moment, it did leave quite a pleasant feeling within him to see his parents actually together – alongside each other contently – for the first time, and quite likely the last time, in his life.

Amiti felt his own hot tears run down his cheek, though he didn't bother to wipe them. He continued to watch them as Alex pulled away from Veriti's grasp, as he ran his hands up and down her bare arms.

"I am so sorry about our – son," Alex said softly, as Veriti brushed Alex's unruly bangs from his face with her long, elegant fingers. She stopped at the mention of Amiti, and said, "My only regret is the fact that we both were not there to raise him."

Alex blinked, as he watched the young woman with a bemused expression. Veriti went on, "I have no regrets that we had conceived a child, Alex. In fact, I'm very happy that we had. He would've been my pride and joy, had I lived to watch him grow up, and I would've felt no shame to claim him as my son, and yours." She moved her hands to find Alex's, as she gripped them firmly until her fingernails turned white from the pressure.

"You have the chance that I never had, Alex. You have the chance to create a relationship with him. Please don't take the same path that I had, and regret forever that you never knew him – you can still turn things around, if only you try."

"It's too late," Alex barely uttered under his breath, "the boy hates me; he would never give me a chance."

Veriti smiled up at the Water Adept weakly, as she lifted his chin so that his gaze left the floor and rested upon her.

"If you don't try you'll never know this for a fact," she said softly. "Please, let this be your way of making up your vow to me: be there for Amiti, _for me_."

"He doesn't need me, Veriti. Besides, the boy's already grown up, and already has his own path paved out for him. He doesn't need guidance or reassurance from me, I can assure you," Alex said grimly.

At this point, Amiti was well convinced that the two hadn't acknowledged his presence – or at the very least, couldn't see him. Amiti brought a hand up to his face; he could certainly see it, so it wasn't as though he was invisible.

Unless he wasn't really present-

The brunette brought a hand up to Alex's cheek and caressed it.

"You will have my heart, _always._"

Alex swallowed hard, as he stole a glance back over his shoulder as though to be sure that no one was watching.

"And you mine," he said softly, as he leaned his face forward slightly so that their lips met gently. Their kiss was light and brief, yet it existed just the same; and would always leave a mark etched within Amiti's memory.

It was Alex that broke away, as he abruptly took several paces backward from the brunette, shaking his head slowly.

"If I could undo the wrongs that I've committed," he said, his turquoise eyes unmoved from hers, "I would do it. You wouldn't have to be here, Veriti."

"Don't blame yourself for things you cannot control," she said solemnly, as she placed her hands on her upper arms. "Instead of looking to undo things, try looking at what has yet to happen, the things that still _are _in your control."

Alex stood there, his aqua blue hair unkempt; very much unlike the condition that it normally was in, where not a strand of hair would be stray or out of place. He looked as though he had been tortured, though it was obvious that he had not been. His eyes carefully scanned the bleak, white floor around him, as he carefully brought them up to Veriti once more.

"I will do my best," he replied, his voice echoing sharply throughout the room. Perhaps his voice had always echoed; though this was the first that Amiti had noticed it. "Though I'm certain I will fail you."

Veriti smiled at him, her emerald green eyes brimmed with tears as she made a motion over to the Water Adept, only to have him vanish into thin air before her hand could reach his cheek. She stood there for a moment, hand outstretched, as she stared at the place where her dear loved one had stood only moments before. The young woman brought her hand to her chest, as she bowed her head slightly, her eyes closed tightly as tears accumulated upon her eyelashes and rolled down her cheek.

"Alex," she said softly, her voice now echoing through the room as well. "You will never fail me. Never."

~(*)~

The sound of glass clinking roused Amiti at long last as he sat bolt upright in bed, the blanket slipping off of his shoulders as the cold winter air stung his bare skin sharply. Karis stood near the door to the room before a dressing table, a tray arrayed with tea and supplies rested on the table before her. She turned around upon Amiti's sudden gasp, and she met his eye with a quizzical expression.

Amiti's raging heart calmed some as he met the Jupiter Adept's calm, violet gaze, as his eyes quickly began to scan the remains of the room. He was still tucked away in bed in the room that all of the boys shared at the Kolima Inn, yet this wasn't the last place that he had remembered being. Could the white room with his parents have only been a dream, despite the vividness of it?

"I'm sorry I woke you," Karis said softly, turning to face him. She held a teacup in her hand that she stirred slowly, as she watched the Water Adept with a concerned expression.

Amiti shrugged, as he leaned back against the pillows slightly, still feeling dazed and confused by his dream.

"No, you hadn't," Amiti replied, thinking it truly not to have been her fault. "It was just – something else. I suppose after everything that happened last night I'm only a little – restless."

Karis held her violet gaze on him briefly, until they turned to the tea that she held in her hands. Setting the spoon back down on the tray, she brought the teacup over to him. She sat down on the edge of his bed, and offered it out to him as he watched her with a confused expression.

"I mixed dream leaves in it," she said, her hands outstretched expectantly. "I heard from Matthew that you haven't been able to sleep – you had been tossing and turning and muttering in your sleep all morning."

Amiti opened his mouth to object, but closed it again as he found her statement to be incontrovertible – he couldn't deny the fact that he'd been rather restless despite how tired and fatigued he felt.

He ran a hand absentmindedly through his disheveled aqua hair as he brought his emerald gaze up to meet hers, and took the teacup hesitantly from her.

"I probably ought to be getting up anyway, I'm sure that it is late."

Karis shook her head, as she turned her head to face the window concealed by thick, heavy draperies.

"We were up all night – for almost two nights in a row – you need to get some sleep. It isn't that late yet."

"But Matthew and Rief are already up and moving around," Amiti argued. "Even Tyrell's up – and that's saying something."

Karis let out a loud sigh as she folded her hands in her lap, her dancer's attire having been replaced with a simple lavender gown and apron – apparel that was frequently worn within Kolima Forest.

"Please, you need to rest – we have quite a journey ahead of us," Karis said in a rather matter-of-factly tone, her gaze running up the length of the room.

Amiti begrudgingly took a sip of the hot tea, and he instantly felt the warmth of it course up through his rather cold body. Though he was indeed a Water Adept, the cold of the harsh winter was making its toll, even on him.

"Thank you for thinking of me, Karis."

"Oh, please. What are friends for if not to look out for one another?" She eyed him skeptically before saying, "besides, you out of everyone have been through the most."

Amiti blinked, attempting to clear his clouded mind to make sense of what Karis meant.

"No, I haven't, we've all had an equal share – if not, perhaps I've gone through less than what some of you have –" His eyes lingered on Karis momentarily, before she spoke again.

"Physical tasks aren't the only kind of burden, you know," she said. "I had sort of meant mentally. You've had quite an emotional trip over the past few days."

Amiti blushed as he brought his emerald gaze to his tea; he hadn't really wanted to go there.

"Less than you would think," he said, trying to make light of it all. "I – don't have emotions attached to Alex, as it stands now."

Karis remained silent, though Amiti could tell that her mind was busy thinking. By the way that she stiffened, and the frown creasing her forehead he knew that she didn't fully believe him; he honestly didn't fully believe himself. He didn't know _what _feelings he had towards Alex, but didn't feel as though talking them over with Karis would do any good.

The bitter silence rang on for far too long. Amiti took another sip of the dream leaf tea; it seemed to be stronger than when he'd last taken dream leaves, or so he thought, for they seemed to already be taking an effect on him.

"You really don't feel anything for him at all?" Karis asked at last, breaking up the monotonous silence. "That surprises me, Amiti. Normally you're one to give people chances to redeem themselves."

"I have given him a chance, yet he abandoned me," he muttered, recalling the incident that took place back in Tolbi; only he wasn't altogether certain whether Alex had really abandoned him or – like Alex had said back in the Tuaparang prison – he had known the other Water Adepts would come to his aid, and there was truly nothing else he could do for him. He preferred to believe the latter; only he felt to be a fool if he did.

"Really? I thought he hadn't abandoned you, from what he said at any rate," Karis went on. "But never mind, it doesn't matter. I'm not here to tell you how to feel about your father –"

"-No, it's fine," Amiti interjected. "I – I certainly wouldn't mind the input – I've rather debated on how I'd like to deal with him as well."

Karis opened her mouth to speak, and then shut it again, her eyes now fixated on the Mercury Adept. Amiti severely wished that the odd, clouded-over feeling in his head would go away; he always liked to be fully aware and cautious around Karis – though he wasn't entirely sure why, it wasn't as if Karis was one to pick out any small flaw within him.

"Well, how do _you _feel about him? In your heart, I mean?"

Amiti let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, attempting to keep his mind from spinning faster than it already was. How _did _he feel about Alex? That was quite a question, for he had very mixed feelings on the matter.

"I'm not sure," he answered truthfully. "I'm – leery of him and am not entirely inclined to believe everything he says."

Karis nodded in understanding.

"I think you're wisest not to," she agreed. "While Alex is your father and his intentions seem to be well –"

"It's just rather farfetched that Alex wants to do anything good, isn't it?" Amiti asked with a hollow laugh, that only made him feel sour inside. He took another sip of the dream leaf tea, though he didn't receive the effect from it that he desired.

Karis smiled at him as she noticed his eyelids grow heavy. She took the tea from his grasp, as Amiti glanced up at her in surprise.

"You're looking very tired," she pointed out. "I'd hate for you to spill it. It's hot – but I don't think it'd feel very good spilt all over you."

Amiti nodded in agreement, as he sat up a bit straighter, pulling the covers up over himself more as he did so. Though the blanket fully covered him, it still felt odd to Amiti to have Karis sitting so close to him while being fully undressed in bed. He felt his face sting with warmth; only he prayed that the darkness of the room concealed any color brought to his cheeks from her.

"I never knew that Kolima got so cold in the winter," Amiti commented mildly, seeming to change the subject intentionally.

Karis nodded; her eyes seeming to hold an odd expression that Amiti couldn't place as she watched him.

"All of Morgal gets very cold during the winter. I was just surprised to see that not all of the trees lost their leaves."

"Most have," Amiti said with as he stifled a yawn, though only managed to some. "I noticed as we were coming into the village that most of the trees have lost their leaves – save for the Waelda, but they're special."

"The Dream Tree hasn't lost its leaves either. I'm sure the merchants are happy about that," Karis said, and then fell silent once more.

The silence lingered on for quite some time; Amiti hadn't noticed that he'd fallen back against the pillows. It was just as Amiti contemplated sleep as the sensation washed over him powerfully that Karis had asked him a very peculiar question that caught him off guard.

"Have you ever been – interested in anyone before?"

He suddenly seemed awake at this; perhaps it startled his senses, for he eyed her sharply, causing the Jupiter Adept to blush slightly.

"Hmm?" he asked. "Interested, as in how?"

Karis averted her gaze from his, as she ran a hand along the quilted bedspread absentmindedly.

"Oh, Amiti, you know what I mean," said Karis with a slight edge of impatience. "I mean have you ever had a fondness for any girl before, have you ever considered marriage, or engagement, or-?"

Amiti couldn't help but gape at her – he really hadn't expected a question such as this coming from Karis – who was probably the very last person that he'd like to discuss these things with.

"I've – considered it before," he replied slowly, still watching her warily, "though I've never had anyone particular in mind, no. Why?"

Karis turned a deeper shade of crimson at this, and turned her head so that Amiti could no longer read her expression.

"Oh, no reason really," she said quickly. "I was just… curious."

Amiti stared at the back of the sea foam girl's head for a moment, still feeling a bit dazed by the randomness of her question.

"Well, I'm curious now… Have you?"

"Huh, what?"

"Have _you _ever considered anyone to marry?"

"Oh, that," Karis said, wishing that she could make up something to excuse herself with, only knew that would be far too obvious and would only embarrass her further. "Well, no, honestly I haven't…"

Amiti nodded, feeling slight relief wash over him; though he wasn't entirely certain why. He wasn't sure why it would matter to him if Karis had ever been in love before, yet it pleased him to hear that she hadn't been.

"What sort of procedures do you have to take – being royalty and everything? I doubt it's a simple proposal to just any girl off the streets and then you get married."

"Well, no, not exactly," Amiti admitted, feeling the effect of the dream leaves starting to tug on him once again. "Technically I'm not to marry – as you had worded it – any girl off of the streets, but instead someone of high stature, likely they would have me marry someone who's connected with Ayuthay's Royal Court-"

"They?" Karis interrupted. "Who's 'they'? And 'they' would choose your bride-to-be for you?"

Amiti shrugged, not entirely feeling up to going into detail.

"'They' are my royal court; and no, they cannot choose my fiancé, it's just that they would like to have some say in the matter of who I betroth," he paused thoughtfully for a moment. "Though I don't think I'm going to go by tradition, once I do choose to marry that is-"

"Why not?"

"Because –" Amiti's eyes shifted to hers uneasily. "-The only girl that I've ever been interested in isn't someone of the royal court, or of high stature, and I therefore would be breaking that tradition of the royal family."

Karis's heart throbbed in her throat; she so badly wanted to ask who this girl was, yet she didn't think she wanted to know. She doubted it would be her; it wouldn't make sense if it were. After all, her and Amiti had barely spoken up until quite recently, and even then their discussions had been brief and always interrupted. Karis closed her eyes, as she turned her face away from his.

"So, you do have interest in someone then," she said softly.

"Slight interest," Amiti replied with a smile. "Though I'm not altogether certain whether this girl returns the same interest in myself or not."

"Why wouldn't she?" Karis asked bitterly. "Who wouldn't be flattered by the King of Ayuthay? You could probably win any girl's heart, if you wanted to."

Amiti hesitated, feeling slightly taken aback by her bitter tone and the sarcasm in which she used within her last statement. Was she mad at him? He couldn't imagine why…

"It's not about winning or losing anything, Karis," he said. "It's about something much more than that. Other than love, I'm not trying to win anything. I thought you would understand that."

Karis barely nodded, as she stood up, taking the cup of dream leaf tea with her.

"I'm sorry to leave so suddenly," said Karis, attempting to remove the pained edge from her tone as she avoided his gaze entirely, "but I really had told Matthew that I'd be right back. I'm sorry, Amiti."

Amiti nodded, still confused as to why Karis seemed upset with him.

"I apologize if I had said something to offend you?" he asked innocently, his green eyes wide with confusion as he searched over the sea foam haired girl critically.

Karis shook her head.

"Not at all, you are one of the least people to offend someone, Amiti."

Amiti watched her momentarily before he grasped her hand just as she began to turn away.

"I'm sorry if my statement seemed a little… overwhelming."

Karis studied him with a bemused expression, and then shook her head, pulling her hand from his grasp.

"It's fine, Amiti. Like I said before: you said nothing wrong. I asked you a question, and you answered. There's nothing wrong to be had in that."

Amiti nodded, still confused as to why Karis seemed distraught, though he wasn't certain on how to continue to approach her in the matter.

"Very well, I suppose I can't keep you any longer, then." Amiti offered her a smile, as he lied back, sinking against the pillows and under the covers. "Please come get me if I'm needed though, all right?"

Karis, seeming to pull herself out of a waking dose, nodded with a slight smile.

"Sure thing, Amiti. Sleep well," she said, as she continued to make her way for the door.

Setting the teacup and saucer back on the tray, she opened the door swiftly and shut it in the same manner, the walls quivering behind her slightly upon impact.

Karis leaned against the door to Amiti's room, taking in deep breaths, trying to will the tears from forming in her eyes - only it seemed that the more she fought them, the more that they forced themselves to come.

Stupid, stupid Karis, she thought to herself. She shouldn't have asked him, she didn't know why she had. Why did she expect him to have any interest in _her_, when they'd barely spoken and outside of their quests they hardly knew each other? Yet, it seemed to stab her like a knife when he'd mentioned having feelings for someone – she hadn't expected it. She didn't know why she hadn't, but she couldn't see it coming, not from a mile away.

Of course Amiti had considered getting married, why wouldn't he? He was three years older than she, already having left teenage-hood and being king at only twenty years old – of course he was considering the prospect of getting married, much unlike herself. Karis was only sixteen, though she would be seventeen in the next month. She hadn't even gone out on a single date, let alone had she ever considered marriage –

Karis wiped away her tears bitterly as she straightened herself up. She wouldn't cry – crying was a very foolish and childish thing to do. She was stronger than this; she'd fought ferocious beasts and winged monsters before without whimpering once, yet she couldn't handle hearing that her friend was interested in a girl.

**Author's Note:**

A somewhat shorter chapter than what everyone's used to, eh? To some, this chapter may be considered a filler, but I thought some of you might enjoy seeing a bit more into the lives of the characters, rather than the scenario that is taking place around them.

I hope I've got Karis down accurately enough – she certainly is a difficult one to attempt to portray. I always picture Karis as kind, yet strong willed, I hope I have managed to achieve this throughout the story. I sort of wondered if perhaps I made her a little too… whiny within this chapter? I was only trying to express her disappointment, though I'm wondering if I went about it the wrong way.

Anyway, please read and review. I'd love any feedback on how the story looks so far, and I'm very open to suggestions to improve it.

Oh, and just thought I'd throw this out there – but does anyone have any interesting ideas as to how I can add Sveta into this story? I tell you, I've been trying, and failing :P If anyone's got any suggestions, I'd be overjoyed to hear them.

Thank you :D


	25. The Tuaparang's Triumphant Move

**Chapter XXV:**

"Veriti…"

The Water Adept let out a soft groan as pain reverberated through the back of his head and coursed through his body in waves. His mind couldn't process thoughts accurately – he only now could feel, though he certainly didn't think he wish to at the moment.

"I- I think he's coming around," a young female's voice said shakily. "He's moving."

"What? Let me through-"

Alex groaned again, only this time it wasn't out of pain, but instead out of recognition of the second voice. It was one of which belonged to someone he could never forget, regardless of how desperately he tried to do so…

He slowly opened his eyes, squinting around as he did so, even though the dim light of the dusky sky that shone down on him through tree limbs was far from blinding. Before him sat a young girl – not likely to be older than fourteen – looking positively terrified at the sight of him. She had long black hair tied back in pigtails, and her wide crimson eyes watched him tentatively. He blinked, trying to study the girl as she was roughly pushed aside by a familiar sleek blonde that made her way over to him. She quickly bent down so that they were more at eye level with one another, and grasped his hand firmly.

"His pulse is stronger," the woman muttered to herself, examining his wrist, "though not strong enough. You need to heal him more, girl!"

The black-haired girl jumped at the mannerism in which she was addressed, and instantly rushed forward to Alex. Alex watched curiously with eyes barely open as the girl ran her fingers up his sleeve. An odd warmth spread up his arm and down into his fingers slowly; it was not the work of Ply – for he was used that sensation and would've recognized the coolness coursing through him – though he could tell instantly as the warm mystical power surged up his arm and spread across his chest that it was indeed healing him, only in another manner than he was accustomed to. After several moments, the girl pulled back, trembling slightly.

"I-I can't heal him anymore, Miss," the girl stuttered, averting her gaze as she addressed the Tuaparang general beside her. "I'm out of Psynergy."

Psynergy… The mention of the word reverberated through Alex's mind dully. So, she was an Adept. He had thought so.

"She was traveling with those Adepts back at the Sanctum," Alex thought to himself, studying the dark haired Adept critically.

The Tuaparang general, Alyss, eyed the girl coolly for a moment, and then nodded.

"Very well, now sit over there while I speak with him," Alyss said shortly, gesturing to a tree trunk only a few yards away.

The girl quickly stumbled forward and left, certainly not needing to be told twice to leave Alyss's presence. The Dark Adept then turned to face Alex haughtily, her soft lavender eyes searching over him.

"Have you ever been told that it's rude to stare?" Alex asked sardonically, as he forced himself to sit up, despite the terrible pain that continued to torment him.

Alyss cocked her head, a sinister smile playing against her pale lips.

"I'm so sorry, am I bothering you? You should be thanking me on your hands and knees right now, Arcanus. For if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be alive right now."

Alex blinked.

"What are you playing at?"

Alyss laughed, throwing long sheets of blond hair over her shoulder.

"Oh, no need to get angry now. I was minding my own business like a good little girl, see, when we found you lying some distance away – unconscious and dying. If I had known how unthankful you were going to be, I would've just left you there, honestly."

"Alyss," Alex barely muttered through gritted teeth, "you are a Dark Adept, meaning you can't heal anything, remember?"

Alyss shook her head, and then gestured towards the dark haired girl sitting with her back against a tree only a short distance away.

"I can't heal you – you're right on that one – but my accomplice can. She revived you when you were on the very brink of death."

Alex grunted as he forced himself up onto his elbows, fighting the pain that threatened to overpower him.

"Then I suppose I owe _her _my gratitude, and not you."

Alyss's face contorted in rage, looking as though she would take great delight in slapping the Water Adept across the face, though she fought this sudden urge and drew in a deep breath, attempting to calm herself before speaking.

"It was _I _that found you, not the brat from Yamata over there," she spat. "And besides, had I not ordered her to heal you, I doubt that she would've anyway – you're not exactly liked amongst the population of the Adepts, you know."

Alex offered Alyss a grim smile.

"And so I suppose you're saying that I really _do _owe you my thanks."

"More or less." Alyss offered him a wide grin, as she leaned closer in towards the Mercury Adept. "Now then… Mind telling me why it is that you're _here_, of all places?"

Alex continued to watch her with a blank expression.

"Where am I, Alyss? I haven't the slightest idea – as this certainly isn't the last place I recall being. Where did you take me?"

Alex assumed they were in the North; he didn't need Alyss to tell him that. Thick snow covered the forest floor that they resided in, and the many trees amongst them stood barren, with only icicles dangling from their naked limbs. The vast snow around them remained smooth and untouched – which gave Alex the odd impression that Alyss hadn't come upon this location by foot – though he couldn't be certain, as snow continued to fall as they spoke.

"I'll give you a hint: you were sneaking our prisoners out on a stolen airship, if that helps any," Alyss sneered, her lavender eyes darkening.

Alex blinked, yet he tried to keep his expression neutral as he responded – he didn't wish to admit more to Alyss than she already knew.

"I'm not entirely certain on what you're referring to," said Alex coolly. "I doubt any prisoners of yours would arouse my interests, really."

"Don't play stupid with me!" Alyss cried, grasping the front of Alex's cloak and shaking it brutally. "I _know _that you helped that idiotic band of Adepts escape, there's no doubt in my mind. Only you are capable of managing something such as this, Arcanus. I know it."

"Adepts?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. "You had other Adepts besides myself and this one?" He nodded towards the young girl at this.

Alyss narrowed her eyes dangerously, as she released Alex's cloak and sat back, looking purely livid.

"You know very well which Adepts we had been holding hostage," she said in a tone that was barely audible, "and you know why we had taken them. You told them about the tablet, didn't you? You told them where to find it. After the High Empyror found out that only the boy could read it-"

"Whoa! Slow down! I can't follow you at this rapid pace," Alex said, lifting a hand to silence her. "I still don't know _which _Adepts you're referring to, and I don't know why you'd think I'd help them. After all, most Adepts don't like me – you said it yourself."

Alyss sighed exasperatedly as she raised her head to meet Alex's gaze once more.

"You're not one to readily admit to your faults, are you? Give it up already; I know you helped them, I just want to know where I can find them."

Alex continued to stare at Alyss blankly as his mind raced at a furious pace; where _were _the other Adepts? He was certainly surprised that they weren't all found together. From the sound of it, it was only Alex that Alyss had found. Had the other Adepts been with him, they surely would've brought him – and furthermore, healed him – wouldn't they? Despite the fact that Amiti had feelings of dislike towards him, he didn't think the boy begrudged him enough to allow his own father to die – Amiti was too honorable for such a deed. He couldn't imagine where they would be, unless they hadn't all landed together…

"I'm sorry, Alyss. I wish I could be of more help - really I do – but I haven't a clue as to what you're talking about. I helped no Adepts. I am only ever out to help myself, but surely you knew this without me telling you?" he asked, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Alyss scowled, and turned away from him to face the west, her pale lavender eyes watching the horizon as the sun dropped below it.

"Fine, have it your way – for now. You won't be able to get away with this forever, Arcanus. Soon, you'll be answerable to the High Empyror and believe me when I tell you this: he won't be pleased with you."

"Okay, relax. Don't get yourself all worked up about me, please. I can fend for myself as I've been capable of doing over the years." Alex winced, as new aches and pains sprung on him that hadn't yet surfaced until then. "But while we're playing this little game, Alyss… Where do you suppose I stashed the Adepts away? Since I was unconscious and in terrible shape when you found me, I doubt a sensible person such as yourself would _really _assume that I sent them off somewhere."

A silence lingered between them momentarily, as Alyss battled with conflicting emotions. It was apparent that she was trying to support her theory with evidence; only she was failing to find any.

"I don't know how," she said shortly, "and I don't know why, but I'm telling you that I _know_ you were involved! You just had to be! There were eyewitnesses, Arcanus. Eyewitnesses! People saw you helping the Adepts in commandeering one of our airships!"

Alex dug his heels into the snow as he shoved himself backwards, finding the trunk of a tree to lean his back against. Had he not been a Mercury Adept, the cold would perhaps begin to take a stronger effect on him than it was, but instead he had an odd immunity to the cold; he hardly felt it penetrate him through his damped clothes. He turned his turquoise gaze to the Dark Adept momentarily, as he then tilted his head upward to search the evening sky.

"If you're talking about the same group of Adepts that I _think _you are, then I believe there's a couple of blue-haired ones within that bunch. How are you so certain that the man they had seen wasn't one of them? Unless one of them saw me – and mind you, Alyss, even if I _had _done as you said I had, I would've made certain that no one did – you cannot prove that I did anything."

Alyss shrugged as she rose, violently brushing off thick patches of snow off the backend of her skirt as she did so.

"I don't know, Arcanus, they were certain that it was you – and I don't doubt it. Not for a second. What I'd like to know is why you're choosing to aid them and not us, for your alliance lies with us, if I'm not much mistaken-"

"I had been discharged of the Tuaparang's service," Alex interrupted. "I am no longer answerable to him, and am able to do things out of my own free will. If I chose to free the Adepts – then I did. There's nothing he can do to me except for imprisoning me himself, and that would be a huge waste of time and manpower, let me assure you."

"Oh, I doubt that," Alyss said coolly, her lavender eyes unmoved from his. "You're in no condition to be making threats such as these, much less attempt to fight anyone. No Arcanus, in the condition you're in I doubt that you could harm a fly, much less a whole army of Dark Adepts."

She turned her back to him, as Alex frowned at her response.

"Alyss?"

Alyss sighed, as she reluctantly whipped around to face him.

"What?"

"After all of those years…" Alex said in a melancholy tone, his eyes unmoved from hers. "After all of that time that we had worked together, are you saying that _you_ don't trust me?"

Alyss stared at him with a blank expression, seeming to be lost for words briefly, and then broke out laughing; a high-pitched laugh that rang through the woods shrilly, sending birds flying out of tree branches and out into the evening sky. She then turned back to face Alex once more, her expression displaying complete and utter dislike for the man.

"No, Arcanus, I do not trust you. I never have, and never will." Her eyes traveled over the injured man before her; the man that she had once feared – the man that all of Weyard had feared. Now here he was: weak and feeble, lying on the ground before her feet, and now at her mercy. She didn't feel much like showing him any. No, he'd done far too many terrible things to be shown any – to her and to everyone.

"Ouch," Alex muttered under his breath sardonically, as he turned his head from her scrutiny. "That seriously hurts."

Footsteps crunching through the snow behind them caught both of the Adepts attention, as their eyes moved in that general direction. Jedite, bundled in a black woolen coat, treaded through the dense snow towards them, his dark eyes emotionless and unreadable as they normally always were.

"Ah, good. He's finally come around," he said calmly, a smile slowly forming around the edges of his mouth. "Has he revealed anything about our Adepts yet?"

Alyss shot Jedite a menacing glance, her blond hair falling over her shoulder as she did so.

"No, this stubborn man won't tell me a thing!"

"Well, well, it certainly was a nice try," said Jedite smoothly, taking long, meaningful strides over towards the injured Water Adept. "So tell me, Arcanus, why is it that you were helping them? Was it that you wanted to hear the legend of the Psynergy Well for your own personal gain, perhaps?"

Alex drew in a breath as the pain slowly began to worsen, namely in his legs. He turned to face Jedite with watery eyes.

"I already _know _about the Psynergy Well, as I was one of the men that retrieved the tablet in Lemuria, remember?" he barely muttered through gritted teeth.

Jedite let out a hollow laugh as he came to a halt beside his female accomplice; his dark, slanted eyes glinting in the dim lighting that surrounded them.

"I _remember, _Arcanus. I was there. But you – like the High Empyror and myself - don't know the full extent of the prophecy, as we couldn't translate all of it. That's why we brought a piece of it back with us to the Zenith Isle," the Dark Adept said, pausing as he bent down to face Alex directly. "The High Empyror has caught wind that one of the Warriors of Vale's children has the ability to read the ancient text that is inscribed upon the tablet, and we are under the impression that you know this as well. Is that correct?"

Alex remained silent as he watched the Tuaparang general coolly, his eyes not betraying his emotions in the least. Of course he knew, only he had no idea that the High Empyror knew as well. This certainly did complicate things, much more than Alex had been initially anticipating.

"I thought Kraden was the man capable of reading such inscriptions?" Alex asked smoothly, his eyes unmoved from the dark-haired man. "I've never heard of this kid from Vale being able to interpret them. It's an ancient art, Jedite. Surely you know this. Not just anyone would be able to decipher those hieroglyph's meanings without being enlightened."

Jedite smoothed his black hair away from his face as he replied calmly, "yes, but to my understanding a boy has. I'm curious, with you having had such a leading position within the Tuaparang at one time, you truly hadn't been aware of this?"

"I had no idea," Alex insisted.

Jedite stood up, wearing an expression that displayed great displeasure.

"I'm disappointed in you, Arcanus. I thought you'd be a bit more – ah, useful than this-"

"Oh, just forget it!" the female general snapped, causing the two men to jump in surprise; they'd nearly forgotten her presence, and quite graciously so.

"He doesn't intend on admitting to anything anyway, let's just kill him and be done with it."

Jedite slowly shook his head; his expression remained unreadable as he turned towards his accomplice.

"No, my dear. That would be a bit brash, don't you think?"

Alyss cocked her head, her eyes ablaze as she glared at the Dark Adept.

"Brash? He's a traitor, Jedite. Surely he'll only cause us trouble if we allow him to live. This might be our only opportunity to finish him off once and for all – at full strength he's too powerful."

Alex chuckled to himself as he watched the two elite members of the Tuaparang bicker; it was almost as if they'd forgotten that he were present. They didn't know that he'd been blessed with much power from the Golden Sun. They didn't truly know the full extent of his power. Even if they wished to finish him off then, they would find themselves powerless to do so…

Alex sighed loudly, as though to remind the two generals that he was still there. Jedite merely threw a glance in Alex's direction, then turned to face Alyss one more, his eyes stern as he spoke once more.

"No, Alyss. Perhaps he doesn't really know anything," he said slowly, a sly smile spreading across his face to reveal his unnaturally white teeth. "Perhaps the High Empyror never fully trusted him, as we had initially thought."

"Doubtful," Alyss muttered, turning to face the Water Adept dismally. "Arcanus always knew everything long before we did. He was Chalis and Blados's superior, surely he knew…?"

Her tone suggested that she was more questioning the matter rather than stating an actual fact; Alex had been able to discern that much.

"That's what I had thought as well," Jedite said with a sigh. "But I think we should drain his Psynergy and hold onto him for a bit longer. I believe that he may prove useful."

Alyss opened her mouth to retort, and then closed it again. The sun had fully set by then, as nocturnal animals within the forest began to awaken. A coyote could be heard howling in the distance, as well as the occasional hooting of an owl arousing from its sleep. Alex remained there silently, the pounding in his head only increasing as he sat there. His limbs were now numb, though he preferred them that way. He knew, however, that it was only a matter of time before that pain would be reawakened and torment him again, unless he mustered enough Psynergy to heal himself – though from the sound if it, that wouldn't be a possibility anytime soon.

"Okay, fine. I'll drain his Psynergy, and then we'll take him aboard the Dark Matter-" she began, but was interrupted by her accomplice.

"No, the Dark Matter is too far from here. We need to remain within the area if we are to find those annoying brats, hmm? I think we should stop here for the night, and then we'll make our way onto the village. Perhaps the other Adepts went there," said Jedite firmly.

Alyss remained silent for a moment before nodding, her pale blonde bangs slipping out of place and into her eyes as she did so.

"Fine. First thing tomorrow we'll search around town. Those Adepts couldn't be far,"

Alex's heart sped up to a furious pace, as he knew Alyss was quite possibly right: the others couldn't be far, and that in and of itself was a very dangerous thing. If the Tuaparang learned the location of the final stone…

Alyss took crunching steps forward through the thick blanket of snow and dropped to the ground before Alex. She met his eye and smiled briefly as she removed her gloves from her hands.

"I'll need to make skin contact," she explained. "Or else I can't be sure that I got it all –"

Alex froze as a numb, tingling feeling crept up his back and into his ears. She was going to do it. She was going to drain his Psynergy after all. There went any hopes of him healing himself – he'd been rather looking forward to that. Perhaps he could coerce the young girl into healing him a bit once the others were out of earshot, or at least, he was relatively certain that he could – he had a way of getting what he wanted.

Alyss brought her hands down upon Alex's, as her fingers enclosed upon his hands. Though her hands were in fact cold, they felt warm to the touch in contrast to Alex's freezing ones. And then, without warning, she then began to draw his Psynergy.

It didn't leave his body mercifully, but it instead poured out of him – like a water faucet suddenly being thrust into full blast, rather than allowing it to slowly seep out of him. Alex let out a groan, one that put a chill into the young girl's heart that sat only yards away, as she turned her crimson eyes to observe the scene. She didn't have much of a concept for what was happening, only she could tell from her point of observance that he was being tortured somehow.

Alyss suddenly withdrew, causing Alex to fall forward, his face hitting the snow before he could throw his arms out to break his fall. He hadn't felt this terrible in a very long time. In fact, he couldn't recall the last time in which he felt like this. The closest thing he'd ever felt to the state that he was in had been the incident where he'd been attacked with a Psy Grenade, yet it was nowhere near as bad as being drained forcefully by an Adept. Alex opened his eyes to see his world spinning around him, being unable to remain focused. His head throbbed beyond reason, and all of those other pains began to awaken. Alex let out a soft sigh as he forced himself off of the snow, his eyes watering as they met Alyss.

"I _hate you_," he barely managed to gasp between deep breaths of air, as Alyss watched him with a bemused expression, looking plainly unaffected by his lack of concern for her whatsoever.

"Charmed, my dear boy," she said with a laugh, as she materialized chains out of what would have seemed to be thin air and began wrapping it around his wrists ruthlessly.

Jedite glanced over in the direction of the young Earth Adept sitting by the tree and snapped his fingers, causing her to glance up.

"You, come here," he demanded, as the girl meekly jumped up and came to his beck and call. He watched her coolly as she stood before him, head bent low as she refused to make eye contact. He grasped the dark haired girl's shoulders firmly as he turned her around to face Alyss chaining Alex up and attempting to force him to his feet.

"Do you see that over there?" he whispered in a tone barely audible, as he leaned forward so that his lips were a mere inch from her left ear. "Do you see what we had to do to that man?"

The girl's lip quivered slightly, as she watched with terror-filled eyes. She then let out a gasp as Jedite whipped her back around to face him, their eyes meeting sharply, with the young Adept being incapable of looking away.

"Be good to us," Jedite said firmly, his dark, beady eyes flashing dangerously. "Be obedient to us, so that this doesn't happen to you."

The young Adept nodded frantically, as Jedite released his grip on her shoulders. The Dark Adept then turned to face his accomplice as she struggled to lift Alex to his feet and lead him along. He tsked as he brought himself over to the two.

"And here you call yourself my superior," Jedite taunted, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

Alyss looked over at him furiously, her face flushed from having struggled with trying to get Alex to move along with her.

"Fine, then if you're so talented, you do it yourself," she spat, throwing the heavy metal chains at him, which he caught deftly. Jedite narrowed his eyes, and then went over to the Water Adept and threw one of Alex's arms over his shoulder, grasping his wrist firmly as he led him on.

"See? Nothing to it," he replied, grinning over at her smugly.

Alyss huffed, as she crossed her arms, though she said nothing – she was just grateful that she didn't have to deal with him anymore. Her eyes then shifted towards the dark haired Adept that stood silently before her, who refused to make eye contact even when the elder Adept suggested it. Alyss let out a sigh as she walked alongside the girl and gave her a forceful shove from behind, causing her to gasp and nearly fall out of surprise.

"Don't think you've outlived your usefulness just yet," she muttered under her breath, as she tilted her head upward to observe the early night sky. "Your role has yet to come. Now, go! Catch up with them!"

Tears filled the Earth Adept's eyes as she moved in front of Alyss, her feet freezing with each step that she took in the thick mound of snow. Never in her life had she felt so cold, as her clothes were now drenched from head to toe, not to mention she only wore sandals on her feet.

How unfortunate it was that they had found her, she thought bitterly to herself as she trudged on through the snow, as more snowflakes fell from the night sky and onto her sodden clothing. Her hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she turned her face downwards. She didn't think that she'd ever make it out of the Tuaparang's grasp alive, unless of course, her friends came to save her, and she didn't wish for that. For the Tuaparang was after her friends – and from the sound of things, she didn't think they'd live to tell the tale of their encounter.

**Author's Note:**

So, I've received mixed feedback as to whether people enjoy the longer chapters versus the shorter ones, so I've tried to compromise a bit with the latest two chapters :D I tend to favor the longer ones myself, but I don't want to write them if my readers don't enjoy them!

So, 'Alex the Great' has fallen into the hands of the Tuaparang. Are you all surprised that it even managed to happen? I finally found a place to squeeze Himi in after all, despite my previous beliefs in being unable to fit her into this story.

Sveta and Eoleo will be making appearances soon, so don't worry too awful much :D

Hope everyone is still enjoying the story thus far!


	26. The Prince and the Pirate

**Chapter XXVI:**

The room within the Kolima Village inn remained silent - quite eerily so. The sun had already set some time ago, and the dim moonlight behind the fog and clouds barely lit up the evening sky – though this light didn't manage to penetrate the darkness of the room, for the thick, heavy crimson draperies blocked out whatever bit of light there was to be had. The only source of light came from the fireplace in the corner of the room, its flame crackling menacingly in the prolonged silence.

Amiti slowly stirred awake, as he opened his eyes and glanced around the room confusedly. It took him several moments to remember where he was, and how he'd gotten there to begin with. The events that had taken place on the Zenith Isle and in the forest with the Waelda seemed so surreal and distant – as if it never happened at all. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he did so. Taking one glance towards the window told him that it was already quite late – far later than he'd intended on sleeping. The only thing he could find to blame was the Dream Leaves: the ones that Karis had coerced – no, _tricked _him into drinking. Amiti let out a sigh as he turned his head towards the other beds in the room and was partly surprised to see that none of the others returned; perhaps it wasn't quite as late as he had initially thought.

His emerald-green eyes were then drawn to the metal trunk by the fireplace, not the trunk itself, but the clothing that lay rested atop it. He hoped that they had been placed there for him; for goodness knew he didn't want to try wearing that dancer's skirt ever again. Once was quite enough, and besides that, it had been tattered and relatively destroyed upon their arrival to the village. Regardless, wearing it didn't seem much of an option, and he was rather grateful for the new, warmer clothes that had been laid out for him.

As he pulled the royal-blue sweater made out of a thick, woolen material over his head, his thoughts strayed towards Karis and their awkward conversation that had taken place only moments before he had fallen asleep. By her troubled demeanor and the hardness to her words, Amiti thought that he'd perhaps offended her, though he couldn't even begin to imagine how. Everything he'd said was perfectly sound, or so he thought –

"Unless," Amiti thought bitterly to himself as he ran his fingers through his dirty locks of aqua-blue hair, attempting to straighten it out in any possible way that he could, "she doesn't _wish _for me to care for her."

This thought stung Amiti sharper than the piercing cold in which stung the air; after all of their conversations, after Amiti had tried so hard to open up to her…

Amiti shook his head, attempting to rid the thoughts from his mind. If Karis didn't care about him in the same manner in which he cared for her, there was nothing he could do about it – except hope that overtime perhaps he could persuade her.

Once he was done dressing and lacing up the new boots that he'd found alongside the trunk, he turned the brass knob of the door and swung it open. The cool air whipped his face ruthlessly, with the hall outside of his room being much colder than it was in his room. Having only ever lived in Ayuthay, Amiti wasn't accustomed to the colder climates, and though he was a Water Adept, the harshness of the winters up north were giving him quite a thrashing. He figured he'd get used to it – in time.

The hall beyond was dark, with only the dim lighting from candles illuminating the hall around him. The wooden floorboards beneath his feet creaked and groaned with each step that he took, as he made his way towards the staircase and the voices that trailed from below.

Many things were swarming through the Water Adept's mind as he silently made his way down the hall, his emerald eyes fixated on the stairs. The most pressing matter of all was the fate of his kingdom. Though the situation with the pandemic was dire, Amiti could never forget about Ayuthay, no matter how hard he tried. His uncle had put so much of his energy into maintaining the kingdom, and within the first week that Amiti had possessed it he'd destroyed it. He hadn't the slightest inkling as to what was happening in the small, prosperous kingdom now, and what had become of his people. He only hoped that it all would manage to withhold until he could return – whenever that would be. He honestly didn't know; he frankly didn't know if he'd ever return. Amiti shuddered slightly. It was a thought that he didn't like to entertain.

Resting a hand on the wooden railing, Amiti went down the steep, narrow steps. Though he tried to descend noiselessly, the wooden steps refused to conform as they squeaked and groaned noisier than ever. He let out an exasperated sigh as he reached the last step, and was able to visualize the room around him.

The large, circular room of the inn was dark, though not as dark as the hall had been. The room was vacant, except for the innkeeper that stood behind the counter and a woman on the opposite side of it. They spoke in merry, cheerful tones to one another as the innkeeper was counting out coins and piling them in heaps on the countertop. An odd practice, Amiti thought to himself, that an innkeeper would display his earnings so openly. Though like most things during these times, Amiti chose to disregard it – for there were obviously more pressing matters at the forefront of his mind.

Upon his entrance, the innkeeper glanced over, as well as the auburn-haired woman before him.

"Oh, hello again! You look more rested – and, erm, dressed at that," the innkeeper muttered, attempting to keep a straight face. Amiti ignored this as well, as he gave the innkeeper a slight nod in return.

"Yes, much," he answered in response. "Have you seen my friends pass through here?"

The innkeeper ran his fingers through his long, scraggly beard as he mused over Amiti's question momentarily, as though not entirely certain how to respond.

"Oh, yes," the woman answered for him, offering the young king a slight smile, "they were headed over to the café for a late dinner – or snack, I'm unsure of which. They said to let you know where they were if you woke up while they were gone, so that you could join up with them if you wanted to."

"Thank you," Amiti said, as he quickly strode over towards the front door and pushed it open, again to be assaulted by the cold, sharp winter air.

This air was far colder than any that was to be had within the inn. Snow covered the ground for as far as the eye could see, and not a single tree remained with leaves – with the exception of the Dream Leaf Tree, that still was in full bloom as it had been the first time they'd seen it mid-autumn.

It didn't take a very large scan of the village around him for Amiti to spot the café, as Kolima Village had a rather small population and there wasn't much to be seen. With Kolima Village being directly connected to the forest, all of the buildings and homes were made out of hollowed-out trees, carved with the utmost care and decorated to the finest quality. Overall, it was a beautiful – and rather unique – sight to see, though Amiti could only imagine the peril that would ensue if there ever were to be a fire; all of the homes and hard work would be demolished within only a short period of time.

"Let's just not make Tyrell mad," Amiti thought, chuckling to himself at the thought as he arrived upon the café at last and swung open the door.

He hadn't meant to open the door quite as forcefully as he had, and felt slightly embarrassed when the bell flew off of the door and onto an elderly couple's table. A waitress, who stood only several paces away, glanced up at him irritably as he muttered quick apologies.

"I'm so very sorry – I hadn't realized –" he began, but got cut off as he heard his name ring through the café.

"Amiti! Hey, Amiti! Over here!"

He whipped his head around wildly as he searched out the source of the voices, and saw Matthew waving at him frantically from a table across the room, seated around him were the other Adepts – and one that Amiti definitely hadn't expected to see –

He made his way over to the table in long, meaningful strides, his expression emotionless as he met with them. A tension filled the air as they all looked at one another awkwardly, awaiting the bonfire, when the unexpected Mars Adept leapt up from his seat and offered a hand out to Amiti.

"Hey there, your Royalness," the large red-head said with a smirk, his cocky tone having been fully intended as he watched Amiti's expression carefully.

"Hello, Eoleo," said Amiti in a tone filled with malice, one that made the Mars Adept back up as he raised his hands defensively.

"Whoa, man, I was only kidding. Since when have you been unable to identify sarcasm?" He grinned in an obnoxious manner, as Amiti ignored him and sat down on the opposite end of the table between Rief and Karis – the two people that probably wanted the least to do with him at that very moment.

Eoleo leaned back in his chair, still watching Amiti with observant brown eyes as he raised an eyebrow.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, apparently," Eoleo muttered, as the Water Adept proceeded to ignore him. "You're telling me that after everything we've gone through you _still _don't like me?"

Amiti let out a sigh as he crossed his arms, turning to face the Fire Adept irritably.

"I have nothing against _you _specifically, Eoleo," Amiti finally managed to say. "It's your practices that I do not agree with."

"Ah, of course, of course," Eoleo said, turning back to face Matthew in front of him as he offered the blond Venus Adept a wink, "I'd forgotten that his majesty is rather prejudice against pirates."

"They're _thieves,_" said Amiti obstinately, "no matter how you choose to classify yourselves. It's still the very same thing – and shouldn't be looked upon any more righteous than the former –"

"Well, I tell ya," Eoleo said loudly, interrupting the Water Adept mid-sentence as he turned his head upwards to gaze at the ceiling. "When someone's raised with servants and golden pillows it's really hard for 'em to understand the meaning of deprivation and hardship. Do you know what those two words mean, your Highness?"

Amiti began to open his mouth to retort when Karis broke in, "That's quite enough, you two. We don't need to rehash hard feelings like this. There's more important matters for us to discuss – like the fate of the world, if you all haven't forgotten."

Her tone was harsh and cold, very much unlike the manner in which she normally spoke. Amiti also couldn't help but observe Karis being careful to avoid making eye contact with him, though he hoped that this was only a part of his imagination. Amiti nodded curtly, as he dropped his gaze to the oaken round table in which they sat at. Eoleo harrumphed, though didn't continue to further argue.

"When did he get here, anyway?" Amiti asked in a tone of indifference, as he averted his gaze from the Mars Adept entirely.

"Before you did," Eoleo said smugly, resting his chin upon his hands triumphantly. "Really, I never thought you'd sleep past seven in the morning –"

"We found him in town," Matthew interjected, hoping to avert Amiti's attention from the pirate before there was bloodshed. "He was passing through – though, Eoleo, you never told us _why _you were passing through Kolima."

The Venus Adept turned his cerulean-blue eyes upon Eoleo expectantly, while waiting for a response that never came. At last, Eoleo grunted, "Business," and left it at that. Matthew hesitated briefly before flitting his gaze back over towards the Water Adept, who fought to remain serene despite his great desire to lash out at the pirate sitting across from him.

"Anyway, we've got good news," Matthew continued, all eyes remained fixated on him at this point. "We've got our ride to Lemuria."

Amiti blinked, unsure as to whether he ought to be happy or discouraged by this statement. He must've failed to hide the perplexity from his expression, as Karis broke in to add, "Eoleo found a Lemurian-crafted ship at the docks of Port Rago."

Amiti's expression darkened as his eyes dropped to the table once more.

"We'd be stealing someone's ship," he said shortly.

"No, no, it's not like that," Matthew said, shaking his head fervently. "I mean, yes we'll be borrowing without permission, but –"

"But we have to!" Rief broke in, vocalizing his opinion for the first time since they'd left Zenith Isle. "The fate of the world depends on it! Surely anyone who owns that ship will understand!"

Amiti remained silent as he mused over it for some time, bringing his elbows onto the table and lacing his fingers together whilst resting his chin upon his hands. He hated doing things the illegal way, and for some reason whenever he traveled with this group he always managed to do things in that manner.

"I wonder," Matthew said, breaking the awkward silence amongst them, "who this ship belongs to. Could it be Piers's, you think?"

Amiti considered this for a moment, and then shook his head; his greasy aqua-blue bangs falling gently into his face.

"I don't think so," Amiti said at last. "Unless Piers had traveled though the cloud passage with Nowell upon docking, because they found me back in Angara."

"I don't know where Piers had docked, unfortunately," Kraden said sadly, his eyes fixated on the coffee mug before him. "We had all met up in Harapa, but I don't know where he had docked his ship before that."

"Either way, we've still got us a ship in Port Rago," Eoleo broke in, offering Amiti a wry grin. "So long as our member of royalty here consents -"

Amiti quickly shot Eoleo a glare as he turned to face Matthew once more, his eyes kindling a fire that was otherwise never present.

"I suppose so," Amiti said slowly and with great reluctance. "If it really is Piers's ship, I think he would understand."

"He most certainly would," Kraden said in agreement.

"And the benefit would overall outweigh the damage," Amiti continued, as he mentally tried to psyche himself up into thinking that stealing under their certain predicament would be acceptable.

"Absolutely," Matthew added. "And once we're done in Lemuria we'll bring it back. Simple."

"I just hope no one really needs it and we'll be borrowing it without their permission," said Amiti with a sigh, as he brought his hands down onto his lap. "I would feel terrible about that."

"Relax a little," Tyrell said, reaching over and giving Amiti a pat on the arm from the opposite side of the table, nearly knocking over his mug of coffee in front of him as he did so. "Everything'll be fine. We're doing this for everyone's well-being, remember that."

Amiti nodded and remained silent – he didn't feel it his place to further argue, and without a doubt the Adepts were right: they needed to retrieve the stones, even if it meant breaking a few rules to do it.

"Good, now that that's settled," Eoleo said slowly, as he raised his coffee mug to take a swallow, but stopped in mid-air, "we've just gotta decide when we're leaving. How soon do y'all want to go –"

"Wait," Amiti interrupted, raising a hand to silence the pirate. A few sets of eyes turned to him, including Karis's. Amiti felt his face go hot under her scrutiny, though he ignored this as he watched the pirate doubtfully. "Why are you helping us, anyway? What is in it to benefit you?"

Eoleo hesitated, as he watched the Water Adept apprehensively. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand, his expression remaining calm as he responded.

"I just want to help," he said in a rather convincing tone. "You – or at least most of you – are my friends, and I want to help you end this pandemic. From here on out, we're in this together. You guys saved my life – true, some of you did it begrudgingly – but ya did it just the same, and I couldn't call meself a true friend unless I was willing to return the favor. So, you see? I want to help, even if it takes me to my grave. So…"

His brown eyes turned to towards Amiti upon this, as he awaited his approval. "What do you say, Amiti? Will ya have me?"

Amiti shot him a mere glance before looking away, his gaze slowly observing the rectangular patterns on the tablecloth spread out before him.

"Of course we'll have you," Karis replied, answering for him. "We could really use your help – besides, you've already helped us in finding this Lemurian ship."

After a moment's hesitation, Amiti nodded, turning his head slightly in Eoleo's direction, yet refusing to bring his gaze up to meet his.

"Yes, you are more than welcome," he said in a tone filled with resentment, and Karis knew that he didn't mean any one of those words – though she was glad that he said them all the same.

Eoleo's expression brightened slightly upon this, as he beamed at the lot of them.

"Awesome! So then, when do we set out?" he asked, turning his gaze towards Matthew upon this, assigning over leadership to him once more as he'd done during their travels to end the Grave Eclipse.

Matthew offered Eoleo a grin, as his gaze traveled over the members of their party; how much it seemed like the days when they had strived to end the Eclipse, with the exception of a few missing from their number: Himi, the princess of Yamata City, and of course, Sveta; queen of the Beastman and all of Morgal. It just wasn't the same without the two, no matter how much Matthew had tried to make it be so. Matthew, snapping his attention back to the present, asked the group, "When do you want to leave, guys? How about tomorrow morning after we get a good night's sleep?"

Most heads nodded in consent, including Amiti; though he doubted he'd be able to sleep that night, given the fact that he'd practically slept that entire day. He wasn't one to complain, however, and didn't mind the idea of returning to a normal human's sleep pattern of being diurnal.

"Tomorrow it is, then," Kraden said, his blue eyes twinkling in the dimly lit room. "For now, we should try to get some sleep; lord knows we all could use some after a rough couple of days."

Everyone pushed their chairs back as they all began to rise from the table. Amiti went along reluctantly; despite the fact that he was normally the oddity out of a group, he didn't necessarily take pleasure in it.

~(*)~

The fire crackled deep into the night, illuminating the room around them with an orangey glow. After much struggle with attempting to fall asleep, Amiti opened his eyes. He'd been tossing and turning for hours, and despite how tired he felt, and as hard as he tried to get his mind to cooperate, he just simply couldn't fall asleep. He turned his head to observe the room around him; though he didn't need to turn his head in Tyrell's direction to discern that the Fire Adept was sleeping; his snores echoed throughout the room, making it almost impossible for anyone to fall asleep after him. He slowly sat up, thinking that perhaps he'd take this opportunity before they left to bathe – for Amiti was one all about cleanliness, and it had been some time since he'd properly bathed. His hair was greasy, and he just felt an un-cleanliness about him that he didn't enjoy in the least, and thought this was a better time than any – at least he'd manage to get one in before they departed.

Amiti slowly slid from under the covers and out of bed, creating no sound until he stepped onto the wooden floor, its planks letting out a loud _squ-eeek _under his weight. He froze in place as someone stirred, and he heard Kraden mutter something quietly in his sleep. After a moment of silence passed and he was certain that everyone was still sound asleep, he crept on tip-toe to the other side of the room and carefully turned the brass doorknob – relieved that at least 'it' didn't creak or squeak.

He was halfway down the dark hall when someone sprang out in front of him, nearly causing him to yelp in surprise. His heart pounded a thousand miles a minute as he raised a hand up to his throat, calming himself as he recognized the silhouette of the young Water Adept that stood before him. Rief gave a slight jump as well, as he hadn't been expecting anyone to come passing through the dark halls of the inn.

"What are you doing?" Amiti asked him breathlessly, though the very same could've easily been asked about himself.

"I couldn't sleep," Rief answered simply, in a tone barely more than a whisper. "And you?"

"The same," Amiti replied, leaning against the wooden wall of the carved-out tree trunk. "I was heading off to find the baths."

Rief let out a soft chuckle, as he made a motion with his arm up near his face – one that Amiti presumed to be him pushing his glasses up his nose as he frequently did.

"You don't do well with being dirty, do you?"

"No, I don't," Amiti replied in a rather indifferent tone, "I don't take great pleasure in smelling vile, unlike some in our party."

Rief broke out in laughter upon this, as he leaned against the same wall of bark that Amiti was against.

"I certainly don't blame you," said Rief. "I sure wish Tyrell would bathe more –"

Amiti struggled to keep his tone neutral as he said flatly, "I wasn't referring to anyone in particular. I only said some in our party –"

"Oh, but it was obvious who you were referring to," Rief interrupted him, as the two both broke out in laughter.

After a moment subsided, Rief rubbed his eye as he turned to face his cousin hesitantly.

"Amiti," he began softly, "I think I owe you an apology."

"An apology?" Amiti asked, hoping to pass his tone off as one that held great puzzlement, only he didn't think that he managed to succeed in this very well. "What for?"

Rief tucked a lock of aqua-blue hair behind his ear apprehensively as he watched the other Water Adept with wide eyes.

"You mean you seriously hadn't noticed?" he asked incredulously, as Amiti blushed under the scrutiny of his accusation.

"No – I mean – I – well… Alright, I suppose I _had _noticed you acting a bit indifferently towards me," Amiti admitted. "Though I am unsure as to why."

Rief looked as though he'd rather disappear than have the conversation that he was partaking in with his cousin as he leaned further back into the wall made of tree bark, shrinking down several inches from his normal height.

"Well, okay I'll admit it – I was just… _surprised _when I found out who your father was," he said in a tone barely audible, though the silence throughout the dark inn made the words comprehendible for the Water Adept alongside him.

"Oh," Amiti said softly after a long moment's silence.

"And anyway, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I never had anything against you or anything. It was just… I didn't know how to take it. Alex is a traitor to my clan, and I've always had ill feelings towards him, and to think that you were his son –"

"It's all right, Rief. I understand," Amiti interrupted, his heart sinking with each word that Rief spoke. "You probably didn't know how to take me anymore, what with me being the said traitor's son. You probably didn't know whether to hate me or –"

"No, Amiti! No! I never hated you, not for a second!" Rief said quickly. "I just didn't know what to think. I was confused. But, now that I've had more time to sort through my thoughts, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for treating you poorly. And – and I'm proud to have you as my cousin, regardless of how you came to be that way."

Amiti's lips quivered slightly upon Rief's words, feeling lost for words himself. Rief was… happy that they were cousins? It was more than he could ever ask for. He didn't think Rief would ever speak to him again; much less accept him as his cousin.

"I – I thank you, Rief," he said in barely more than a whisper. "You have no idea how much – how much that means to me."

Rief smiled, and Amiti could make out the glint of his pearly-white teeth against the darkness of the room.

Oh please, it's nothing really," said Rief, blushing slightly. "But I hope that you'll find in your heart to forgive me one day, and that perhaps we could actually – be cousins for real?"

Amiti radiated a smile from ear to ear, his eyes glowing with an expression that Rief hadn't seen present in them for quite some time – an expression that he could only discern for as joy.

"Of course, Rief," Amiti replied, still smiling. "I would be honored to call myself your cousin. For real."

Rief took a step forward precariously, rubbing his knuckles together as he did so.

"You really… mean that?" Rief asked incredulously. "You really would want to - ?"

In answer, Amiti swiftly took a step forward and, to Rief's great surprise – though not displeasure – wrapped his arms around him, his chin resting on the top of Rief's head. Though Amiti wasn't tall under any terms, Rief was still a head shorter than him – he partly wondered if it was something of which ran in the family.

Rief returned the embrace hesitantly, his arms slowly wrapping around Amiti's waist. His cheek brushed against the wool of Amiti's sweater, as he silently blinked away tears that forced their way into existence.

"Thanks, Amiti," he whispered softly, his voice being muffled even more by the sweater.

"No, _thank you_, Rief," came Amiti's reply, his voice too sounding strained and distant as he added, "I'm proud to call myself your cousin, too."

_Despite how he came to be that way_.

~(*)~

Dawn finally broke through the parted curtains of the Kolima Inn, marking the Adept's time of departure. It didn't take long for everyone to prepare to leave, for they didn't have very many belongings to pack up anymore. Most of everything that they had owned was now lost within the remains of the airship, which now rested somewhere within the mass forest. Gone were their supplies, the Soarwing, Amiti and Karis's clothes and – worst yet – their weapons. Amiti's Verdant Sword had been in with the lot, and now it was lost forever – the sword that he had carried through many battles of hardship and valor, the sword that brought them victory so many times and had aided the Water Adept in so many situations was now gone. Lost forever; never again would he feel the warmth of its hilt in his hands, or feel its blade slash through his enemy. This couldn't help but pain Amiti slightly, as he'd been rather attached to that sword, despite the fact that it was merely a possession, one he could certainly learn to live without it.

He'd replaced the sword with another one that he'd bought in town: though it was sturdy and reliable, it was nowhere near the same in quality or fashion and could never mean the same to him.

Amiti and Kraden were the only two that remained in the room at the inn – the others having already left for breakfast before they made their final departure from the village. Both packed their things noiselessly, without even offering a glance to one another. It was Amiti that finally broke the silence, as one of the questions that kept forming in his mind finally made its way to his lips.

"Kraden, may I ask you something?"

Kraden hadn't glanced up from his packing, though his expression turned thoughtful as he nodded his approval.

"Of course, Amiti. What is it?"

"Well," Amiti said slowly, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear subconsciously. "I've been wondering about these dreams I've been having, and I just cannot help but wonder if – if there's some truth or reality to be found within them. They are not like the normal dreams that I used to have."

Kraden suddenly looked up, meeting the Mercury Adept's gaze sharply.

"Have you still been having those sorts of dreams, Amiti?" he asked him seriously. "Like the one that you'd had about your mother?"

Amiti watched the elderly scholar apprehensively, as he then shifted his eyes from him, continuing to pack his things as he answered softly, "No, not recently -"

The severity of Kraden's expression relaxed some, as he let out a soft sigh and turned his gaze back to his pack on the bed.

"That's good to hear," he said finally, causing Amiti to cringe from the inside out. What he'd said had been a lie – he still _had _been having vivid dreams that had to do with events and his mother, only he didn't know why, and didn't very much feel like arousing Kraden's concerns over it.

"I'm just curious though," Amiti said, breaking the prolonged silence that had emitted between them, "if I _was _still having those sorts of dreams, what would it mean?"

Kraden did not answer right away, as he zipped up his traveler's pack and swung it over his shoulder. His pale blue eyes met Amiti's emerald-green ones, as he offered the Adept a warm smile.

"I'm afraid that even I wouldn't know its meaning, Amiti," he replied softly, walking up to him and patting his shoulder. "I can only presume that it would only mean something ill –"

Kraden couldn't help but notice Amiti tense upon this, as he smiled again and tightened his grasp on his shoulder.

"But don't worry, Amiti. Perhaps it would even mean nothing at all. Dreams are very strange things, and I cannot even begin to interpret them."

Amiti nodded painfully, biting back the urge to come forth and tell him about the dream he'd had with Alex and Veriti, and how it had been so similar to the one he'd had only a short while previously. He only nodded, however, as he sealed up his own bag and shifted it over his shoulder.

Kraden let go of him, still watching him momentarily as they both stood in the dim morning light.

"Now then, let us go," Kraden said softly, slowly making his way towards the door, with Amiti close behind him. "The others are surely waiting –"

Amiti nodded as Kraden exited the room, falling short behind him as he stole one last glance at the inn room. Beyond this point only lied graver danger than they had yet experienced, and it was quite a harsh reality that they might likely not return to tell the tale.

At least they had each other – and that alone made a world of difference.

**Author's Note:**

Okay, hope I haven't lulled everyone to sleep yet :P Things will begin to get more interesting pretty soon – especially for those that are interested in seeing what will happen with Amiti and Karis. I think you might be surprised – or perhaps you've been expecting it all along :D But, I hope that you enjoy it nonetheless.

I hope that I'm giving each character enough attention, despite the fact that this is becoming a larger group. It's quite a struggle, and I'm sure that I'm favoring some characters over others – it's just inevitable. But I hope that my favoritism isn't too great and it's still enjoyable to read.

Now then, I have some concerns regarding the plot line… Does it all make sense so far? Have I left anything great out that you all are scratching your hands about at the moment? Someone brought it to my attention that I'd left a bit of an opening during the first several chapters in the plot containing Kaocho and the issues with the pandemic. I hope to answer some of those missing pieces in later chapters, but in the meanwhile I hope it wasn't too farfetched to believe? I know Kaocho causing trouble or otherwise being a threat to anyone is rather hard to believe, but it's more of a political game of words and power rather than a physical threat – except for Ayuthay, whose defenses were practically shot after the Eclipse and anyone going to war with them would be perilous. Also, I recall that in the game many of Kaocho's soldiers were farmers and other civilians within Kaocho. When I had referred to Kaocho having some of the best-trained men within the Ei-Jei region, I was referring to their well-trained soldiers and their generals – whom miraculously survived much of the damage that had occurred with the Eclipse. It's a bit of an… eh… stretch, but I figure it works. Right? :D

Oh, and Daedalus370… how do my hyphens look? Any better? I'm going to keep practicing on them until I turn into a mad hermit :P hehe.


	27. Escape at Dawn

Chapter 27:

Marishka shivered slightly as the cool night air whipped her face, sending stray strands of wispy black hair into her face and around the back of her exposed neck. She hadn't exactly been prepared for such bitter cold weather, and from being raised in a virtually winter-free environment, it was taking quite a toll on her. Yet she continued to trudge along through the dense, white snow, her eyes remaining focused on the clearing ahead. She had a goal, and she was determined to meet that goal: freezing cold or not.

She paused momentarily at the rusting of tree branches ahead, her dark eyes darting around wildly until she saw movement ahead of her and a dark figure emerged from behind a cluster of bushes. She immediately leapt behind a large tree trunk, hoping that she hadn't been spotted, though she knew that she probably had been heard, if nothing else.

Upon the crunching sound of her footsteps hitting the snow, the dark figure shot a glance in her direction without moving in the slightest. Marishka held her breath, unable to see the person from where she stood; yet she could tell by the silence and the tension in the air that the figure hadn't left just yet. Moments went by, and Marishka was thankful for each one that hadn't indicated the figure to be approaching her. Soon after, she heard a set of footsteps out in the distance, only these weren't heading away from her, but instead drawing nearer until they came to a halt some distance away.

"What is it? Did you find anything?" a female's voice asked in a tone of anxiety.

Marishka's hand curled around the hilt of the dagger that rested at her hip, as she listened intently to the intruders. The female's voice sounded familiar to her, yet she couldn't place whom it belonged to. Familiarity was as much as she could discern.

"No," a man's voice responded, and she heard the sound of snow crunching, as though the man shifted to face his accomplice. "It's nothing. What are you doing out this way?"

"I came looking for you. It's late, you know."

"Yes, I know that," he snapped in response, and then the two fell silent once more.

The hooting of owls broke the prolonged silence of the forest, and Marishka peered upwards to see a snowy-white one fly overhead and perch itself in the tree that she stood under. The darkness seemed to be ebbing away as dawn approached, yet it was dark enough with the snowy clouds covering much of the three-quarter moon, creating a dim glow to penetrate the sky that shone down on the dense forest.

"Are you looking for them?" the young female's voice asked her accomplice.

A silence emitted between them momentarily before Marishka heard the man respond, "I am, though I'm not doing it for _her_."

Marishka carefully stole a glance around the trunk of the tree to see two figures standing a short distance away: a man with long, jet-black hair tied back in a ponytail, and a shorter, slender figure who had a hood drawn up. Marishka assumed this to be the woman, as she saw a white, slender ungloved hand come up to meet the man's shoulder and brush snow from his coat.

"I don't know why you're putting up with her," she said softly. "If I were you, I would've already given her a nice, good, kick in the-"

"That's very nice of you, Moira, and I thank you. But please know that I'm not _you_, and such behavior from me would cause me to be stripped of my position for good. Alyss is still a general of the Tuaparang, regardless of how much of a…witch she is." The man had paused as he began to address Alyss, and Marishka had thought he was probably going to use a more derogatory word in place of 'witch', but thought better of it.

The young woman, Moira, grasped the man's shoulder tightly as she took a step closer to him in the snow.

"I'm sorry, Jedite,"

"Me, too,"

"I wish the High Empyror would recognize you for the powerful Adept that you are."

"I am not judging what the High Empyror thinks of me right now," the man, Jedite said shortly, turning around to face Moira. "I'm simply doing as I was told to do, and that was to guard the premises while Alyss gets a little rest. You should go back to the site as well, Moira. We'll be leaving soon and you'd do best to get some."

"I'm not tired, I won't be able to get any rest."

"Well…try then!"

There was a moment's silence between the two of them, as Moira lowered her hood, revealing a young woman with light aqua-blue hair, resembling the color of ice, and soft, amber eyes. Her face shone with youth, as she appeared to be no older than about eighteen. She looked up into Jedite's dark eyes solemnly, as the man refused to meet her gaze as he muttered under his breath, "That is an order, Moira."

Moira sighed, as she stuffed her hands into her coat pockets, her eyes still locked onto him.

"I'll save some breakfast for you," she muttered in a low tone, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jedite's approval, yet she received none.

"Just go," he said shortly, letting out a sharp breath that fogged up before him as it met the cool air.

Moira nodded meekly, as she turned around and disappeared behind the thicket of trees beyond. Jedite turned around, now facing the tree that Marishka had been hiding behind. She whipped back into position behind the tree, hoping that she hadn't been spotted. As the moments passed, and Jedite hadn't moved in her direction, she assumed that she hadn't been.

"I'm sorry, Moira," he said lowly in a tone barely audible, lowering his head so that his gaze met the ground, "but our distancing is for the best – forgive me."

With that, he snapped his fingers and a gust of wind picked up and let off within almost the same moment, and when Marishka carefully peered around the tree trunk once more she had found the Tuaparang general to have simply vanished from sight. She hoped he hadn't been planning on coming back, but then again she didn't want to count on him being gone for good, either. She carefully made her way around the tree and hurried once more towards the clearing ahead, in the direction that the Tuaparang soldier, Moira had disappeared in.

~(*)~

Silence echoed through the dimly lit forest, with only the occasional sound of wind rustling through tree branches or a bird flitting past overhead. Though the silence should've aided Alex in his sleep, he found it to do anything but. He hadn't been able to persuade the dark-haired Venus Adept to heal him after all, as she had been too afraid to disobey the Tuaparang by raising a hand in his aid, and now all of his aches and pains had reawakened since his first healing, which continued to torture him as he tossed and turned whilst attempting to find sleep.

Alex gritted his teeth and closed his eyes to the darkness; it wasn't the worst pain that he'd ever experienced. No, his descent from Mount Aleph had resulted in far greater injury, and with greater injury came greater pain - great pain that he never wished to revisit if he could help it. By then, a knot had swelled at the back of his head, which throbbed incessantly, and the pain in his left arm felt deeply bruised and throbbed at the slightest touch – for a moment, Alex had wondered if he had indeed broken it, only the girl had healed it and he was now experiencing whatever was leftover. Either way, it still pained him, and attempting to sleep was fruitless.

It wasn't only the pain, however, that prevented Alex from sleep. He simply couldn't get his mind to shut off. Everything had been moving according to plan until that point, until he'd gotten separated from the others. He hadn't been expecting that - he hadn't expected to be taken in by the Tuaparang, and he certainly hadn't been expecting to be as handicapped as he currently found himself to be.

Alex shifted onto his side, letting out a sharp breath as he did so. His legs tingled with the remnants of prior pain. For a brief moment, he'd wondered just _how _mangled up he had really been when the Tuaparang found him. He'd hate to think that he really _did _owe his life to Alyss – what a disgusting thought.

He drew in a long, deep breath, allowing the coolness of the night air to fill his lungs and soothe him. He hoped the night didn't have many hours remaining, for he didn't think he could continue to lie there silently for much longer.

The rustling of leaves instantly caught the Water Adept's attention, as his eyes slowly scanned the forest around him. The bushes to his left remained unmoved, as the leafless tree branches overhead swayed in the cool, gentle breeze. The wind was breezy, yet not strong enough to cause the bushes to stir as they just had. Alex propped himself up on an elbow, his turquoise eyes scanning the bushes intently, yet as he waited, they didn't move again.

Alex relaxed slightly as he lowered himself back onto the ground, taking the movement to have just been a squirrel or some other forest critter, when he nearly jumped out of his skin when something tapped his shoulder from behind.

"Calm down, it's only me," a female's voice said in a rich, familiar accent. "But goodness, Arcanus, what ever happened to you? You look terrible."

He _felt_ terrible, though he didn't voice this as he turned around to face Marishka behind him, his turquoise eyes penetrating into her dark ones, as though searching for something that wasn't there.

"You're alive," he said blankly, his eyes still moving over her at a slow pace. "I really thought that crash had finished you – had finished everyone –"

"I don't know about everyone else," she admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I had woken up a short distance away when I overheard the Tuaparang soldiers taking you…"

"No one else was with you?"

"No…"

Alex remained silent, his forehead creasing into a frown as he contemplated her for a moment.

"Well, I'm sure they must be somewhere, if both you and I survived," he muttered quietly, remembering that the Tuaparang soldiers were only a short distance away, where they could be overheard quite easily. "Why did you come after me, if I may be so bold?"

"You made a promise to me," Marishka replied simply. "You promised that you'd take me to Gondowan, so-"

"Oh, for the love of – you _still _haven't forgotten about that?" he asked furiously, as he forced himself up into a sitting position, though most of his weight remained in his arms that were propped up behind him. "We almost got killed, we're being pursued by enemies, and all you can think of is my promise to get you back home?"

Marishka smiled slowly, while Alex scowled and shook his head. Were all women so stuck on promises, or was it only the ones that he'd met? He couldn't figure it out, and at this point, he wasn't sure that he wanted to.

"Alright, fine, if we can get out of this mess, I'll take you home," he grumbled. "But first I need to find Matthew –"

"Why? The Tuaparang's trying to do that – "

"Yeah, no kidding! That's why I need to find him _first!_ I need to get to him before they do, or else it will be all over," Alex said in exasperation, shooting a glance over towards the clearing where the Tuaparang soldiers resided. It was impossible to make out their campsite from where they rested, yet he knew it was only about fifteen yards away, and their voices might just attract them.

"Why are they so important to you?" Marishka asked him. "And what is all of this about a stone? Why does it mean so much to you?"

Alex remained silent, not really wanting to go to lengths to explain all of the details to this Gondowan slave dancer at that particular moment. He sighed loudly as he brought a hand up to his hairline.

"It's a very long story, but I need to get to the stone before the Tuaparang does," he said at last. "Trust me, we need to find Matthew before they do – for everyone's sake. Can you manage to wait that long before I take you home?"

"Oh, I suppose so," Marishka said irritably, shaking back her long locks of black hair. "But we don't even know where Matthew and the others are, and since the Tuaparang has troops scouting the area, they're bound to get to them first…"

Alex's eyes shot up to meet hers.

"They already have scouts out there?"

"Yes! I saw some of them, they almost caught me while I was trying to find you."

"Hmm," Alex mused over this momentarily, as he tried to form a plan. His Psynergy was still very low, to the point of non-existent, and trying to make an escape relying solely on that would be a mistake. He was still quite fatigued from his injuries, and therefore thought that he wouldn't manage to make it very far on foot. All in all, their situation wasn't the best, but he knew their only chances of escape were within their last few hours of the night. After daybreak, it would be nearly impossible for him to make a getaway – he knew that Alyss would make sure of it.

"In that case we'll need to be very careful. Do you have anymore Psy Grenades on you by chance?"

"No, you had them last, if I recall," Marishka said shortly, crossing her arms. "And how do you suppose you'll get anywhere in the current state that you're in?"

"I'll manage,"

Marishka raised an eyebrow, as she looked the Water Adept up and down apprehensively. "I doubt that."

"We should go now, though, before dawn arrives," said Alex, as he pushed himself up farther, wincing in the process. "The Tuaparang's generals are setting out once daylight hits, and it'll be much harder for us to escape then."

"Us? I think you're referring to yourself, Arcanus, as I'm not the one that they're after," Marishka said, rising from the ground and offering out a hand to him.

Alex grunted as he took her hand and began to pull himself up, while every last one of his muscles rebelled against him violently. Once he managed to get up to his feet, he dusted the snow off of his dark, velvet cloak meticulously while surveying the area carefully.

"The Tuaparang's campsite is over there," he said, pointing to a thicket of trees west of them. "So if we move southwest, we should manage to steer clear of them on our way towards Bellinsk –"

"Why are we going to Bellinsk?" Marishka asked him.

"Where else do you suppose that we go?" he replied sardonically, while pain shot up his leg, causing his temperament to be even shorter than normal.

"I'm just surprised that you'd assume that they would be in Bellinsk, whereas they could be anywhere in Morgal, and quite possibly in this forest-"

"I understand where you're coming from," Alex said, "but I doubt they'd stay in this forest any longer than they would have to, and besides, they have friends in Bellinsk that would quite likely aid them."

"I still think we would be better off searching the forest first," Marishka retorted.

"Perhaps," Alex said, tilting his head slightly. "But the Tuaparang will be patrolling this forest very carefully, and so I think we'd be better off searching the capital first. Then we'll move onto the forest, if need be."

Marishka nodded reluctantly, as her eyes traveled towards a thicket of trees only a few yards away. She tensed as she spotted the dark-haired girl sitting against a tree, watching them with terror-filled amber eyes.

"Who's…?" Marishka began, but before she could continue the girl had leapt up and begun to flee in the direction of the Tuaparang's campsite.

"Stop her!" Alex cried out, beginning to rise yet failing to do so.

The young girl dressed in a kimono let out a gasp as she rushed away from Marishka, who began making her way in the girl's direction. It was hard for her to run through the thick, dense snow with only sandals on her feet, yet she attempted to fight through it as viciously as she could so that she evaded her captor. Cold wind whipped her face as she continued along breathlessly, as she shot a glance back over her shoulder to see how close her pursuer was to her. In the instant that she did so, however, she stumbled upon a loose root in the ground and fell flat on her stomach. She scrambled to regain her footing, only it was too late – Marishka had already seized the girl from behind and pulled her up.

"Good," Alex's voice rang softly from behind them, as he slowly made his way over to them in short strides. "She was intending to report us, I'm sure."

The dark-haired girl shot a glare in Alex's direction, as she seized every ounce of bravery that she could muster.

"I-I can't let you escape," she said in a weak voice, glancing back and forth from her captor and then towards Alex. "I can't – you don't know what they would do to – to me."

Alex raised an eyebrow as he studied the girl carefully; the poor thing had been mistreated terribly, that much was apparent simply by observing her stance. Her clothes that had once been rich and fine were now tattered and torn, not to mention having been stained by dirt and whatnot. Dirt was dried onto her pale cheeks, as she trembled from head to toe, not only from fear, but from the freezing temperatures as well. At this rate, the Tuaparang would quite likely kill the girl by the mere abuse that she was under before ever intending on letting her go, though he doubted that letting her go was ever in their agenda. The Tuaparang played dirty, not fair or kindly.

"I'll tell you what," Alex said, meeting the soft, fear-stricken amber eyes coolly. "You heal me, and then I'll help _you _to escape as well. Do we have an accord?"

"Y-you lie!" she barely managed to utter as she trembled violently. "You won't help me! But if I heal you – you'll be at your full strength and it will make it much easier for you to overpower me. That's all you want!"

"Oh, no, no, no, my dear child. That would be quite a waste, for you see, I'm not heartless like the Tuaparang soldiers that you are dealing with. Instead of dragging you along like you're some worthless healer, I'm offering to help you to get home to your family. Wouldn't you like that?"

The Venus Adept studied Alex carefully, searching his eyes for sincerity. True, he was no longer of the Tuaparang; Jedite and Alyss had displayed that, but he was still trouble amongst the nation, and she wasn't entirely certain that his word meant anything.

She stood there, frozen to the bone as she weighed out her options. She could stay with the Tuaparang, but what good would that really do for her? Would they really ever let her go, or would she always be of use to them? If she went with Alex, she would at least have a better chance of escape or finding her friends. If what they had said was true, Alex and Marishka had indeed seen Matthew, and they were out looking for him. She knew if she found her Adept friends that she would be alright. Only, would she find them first by traveling with the Tuaparang, or Alex? Yet, Alex seemed less fearsome, and so he did seem like the better option to go with.

The Venus Adept nodded slowly, as Alex cracked a grin.

"Good, I'm glad that we've come to an agreement. Now heal me, please. We haven't much time before they come to collect us," Alex said, approaching the girl that was still pinned against Marishka.

The girl didn't need to ask who 'they' were, as Marishka released her arms so that she could properly heal Alex. She took a step forward, considering him a moment before rolling up her sleeves and closing her eyes. A golden light surrounded her small hands, which soon shot up to create a sphere of light around the two of them. Concentrated beams of light shot out from her palms that made their way to Alex, first circling around his wrists before traveling up the length of his body. Alex recognized the same warmth that he'd experienced from earlier that day when she'd healed him before. It had a similar end result to Ply, only the way in which it mended was much different. Alex let out a sigh of relief as his aches and pains slowly ebbed away, being replaced by a numbing warmth that seemed to penetrate his every muscle and joint. After a few moments, the girl lowered her hands, and the golden light died away along with the healing warmth. The air returned back to its bitter coldness as Alex had last recalled it, as he let out a breath and flexed his arm. Much better, he thought to himself. He now felt as though he could adequately hold up his own in a fight; that was, if he had his Psynergy back.

"Thank you," he said at last, turning his gaze upon the girl, only she refused to meet his gaze as she hung her head low. "I'm afraid that I do not know your name, even though we had met previously."

"Himi," the girl muttered softly towards the snow, "I'm the daughter of Susa and Kushinada of Yamata City."

"Fascinating," Alex said, studying her more carefully. "I think all of the members of Matthew's party held some matter of significance. I'm Alex, though you probably already had known this –"

"Alex?" Marishka interrupted, as her dark eyebrows furrowed into a frown. "I thought your name was Arcanus?"

"My given name is Alex," he corrected her, without fully glancing in her direction and therefore missinh the scowl upon her face, "and this here is a good friend of mine named Marishka. I promise that I will not harm you, if you will cooperate in helping me to find Matthew and his friends."

The girl, Himi, nodded in consent. "That would be fine, as they are my friends as well. I don't want any harm to come to them."

Alex nodded.

"Nor do I,"

"But I'm still confused –" Himi said with a slight frown. "You're helping me, but I don't know why…you are."

Alex blinked, studying the girl carefully a moment before responding.

"You didn't do anything to them, and therefore I feel like you don't deserve to be treated like that," he answered shortly, as he turned around and stared up at the sky.

"Treated like what?" she asked, though her voice died in her throat as Alex froze, and the silence seemed to linger much longer than it should have.

"Like a slave; you were being used for your powers," he said at last.

"Don't you want to do the same?"

Alex remained silent for a moment as his eyes traveled along the snowy ground, watching the footsteps that had once been his fill up with new snow and become invisible once more.

"No, I really don't."

Himi blinked, as she stared up at the back of Alex's head for what seemed to be minutes, until Alex whipped around to face them.

"We should be on our way then, if we want to escape from the Tuaparang's grasp and find Matthew before they do."

Marishka nodded.

"Right, where to first?"

Alex let out a sigh, as he brushed his long aqua-blue bangs from his face impatiently.

"I thought this had already been decided," he said with a slight tone of irritation. "We were first going to search Bellinsk, remember?"

"Oh, yes, that's right," Marishka said, and Himi didn't think she only imagined the look of disappointment apparent on the young woman's face. "Do you know the way?"

Alex nodded, as he pulled out a compass no larger than the size of a quarter from his pocket.

"We need to travel west," he said slowly, as the small red arrow spun around until it pointed in the northeast direction. "Which would be that way." He gestured towards the far corner of the clearing.

"It shouldn't take us too long to get there," he added, pocketing his compass as he turned to face the correct direction. "We'll probably get there by midday. Are you ready, Himi?"

"Hmm?"

Himi had hardly been paying attention up until that point, feeling quite fatigued and tired as she stood there shivering from head to toe. She wished that she'd thought of traveling in warmer clothing, but of course, the thought evaded her. Alex smiled at her softly, for some strange reason feeling a slight pang of guilt in his chest whenever he'd see the poor girl. He held out a gloved hand towards her, which she hesitated upon before accepting. Perhaps she was being a fool for trusting him. Perhaps she was a fool for entering the forest at all, but at least she was back on her way again.

And maybe this time she'd accomplish what she'd originally set out to do.

**Author's Note:**

First off, I'm terribly sorry for the delay in posting this chapter – I've taken a short absence from writing this as of lately to work on several other projects. But anyway, I do hope to continue writing this story again at a furious pace to hopefully complete it soon!

Anyway, I feel as though this chapter didn't quite match up to some of the previous ones in ways of plot and quality, but I hope it will suffice it for now – I'm having difficulties writing at this particular point of the story and so I hope it will continue to run smoother here on out ;) As I've mentioned before, I love reviews, and would be overjoyed if you left me one (even if it's scowling and sneering…well, to an extent, please :D). I'd to know what everyone thinks thus far, and am always open to ideas to improve the story!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and hope that you will continue to enjoy as the story progresses! Thanks for your patience in awaiting this chapter, and of course, for reading up to this point :)

Also, I want to give special thanks to CreationsGoneAwry, a reviewer and fellow author that gave me just the encouragement I needed to continue on with this story. Thank you very much; I really appreciated it :)


	28. To Win A Heart

Chapter 28:

The sun had risen far earlier than Moira had expected as she cracked open an amber eye to observe the campsite around her. Tuaparang soldiers were surrounding her from every corner; each and every one of them already fully armed and prepared to set out. Moira yawned as she sat up, rubbing her face with her hand sleepily as one of them snickered. She shot a glance up at him as he kicked a knapsack in her direction, which also sent snow flying up into her face.

"Get up," he sneered. "We're just waiting on you. General Alyss has already set out."

Moira watched him blankly, almost as though his words didn't fully register in her mind. At last she reached out a hand to grasp the shoulder strap of the knapsack that had been kicked towards her.

"What about General Jedite?" she inquired. "Has he already left?"

The Tuaparang soldier shook his head, while a few other soldiers chucked behind him.

"That is no concern of yours," he replied shortly, reaching out to grasp Moira by the collar of her soldier's uniform and pulling her up violently. "We need to head out _now_. I'd suggest that you stop stalling out and get a move on!"

Moira bowed her head low, as her eyes bore into the thick, woolen blanket on which she lay upon. She hated traveling without Jedite; everyone else treated her as though she were scum, even though she was indeed a qualified member of the Tuaparang, just like everyone else. Ever since she'd joined the Tuaparang, she'd always been treated 'less-than', though as for why remained uncertain to her. She didn't have the ability to use Dark Psynergy as the others had, but she could still use Psynergy of the water element – wasn't that good enough? Though for being a Water Adept, her abilities were flawed – for she couldn't heal like most Water Adepts could. Jedite had always treated her as an equal despite this fact, however, and had encouraged everyone else to do the same. Perhaps it was her demeanor, or her Psynergy, or a combination of both, but she just couldn't fully be accepted as 'one of them' no matter how much she tried.

Moira let out a sigh as she rose from the ground, her black cloak shifting off of her shoulders as she did so.

"I'm sorry that you had to wait on me," she said, reaching for her sword that lay near her. "I hadn't realized how late it was –"

"You never realize anything," one of the soldiers remarked, as he moved towards the clearing's exit, the other soldiers following shortly behind him. Moira was then left all alone as she gathered her belongings and threw her knapsack over her shoulder. She wasn't looking forward to traveling with them, but she knew that the longer she delayed, the more that she would hate her journey.

She trekked through the heavy snow, which nearly came up to her knees, as she followed a short distance behind the other soldiers. She didn't mind lagging behind in a sense, as there would be less confrontations that way.

They continued to trudge on through the forest until they reached another clearing only a short distance away. There Moira saw the female General, Alyss, standing in the center of the clearing, her hands gripping her pale-blond hair as she stared around helplessly. Her face was pallid, her mouth parted slightly, as she looked around with a crazed look in her eye. It was normal for Alyss to appear panic-stricken, though not quite to this extent. Moira walked right up to the general and spoke to her as though speaking to one of equal status to herself, "General Alyss? Is something the matter?"

Alyss, snapping out of her daze of panic, turned to face Moira, a look of displeasure written plainly upon her face.

"Matter?" she asked, cocking her head in annoyance. "Have you not looked around? Tell me, Moira; where are our hostages?"

Moira turned her head in the direction that Alyss had been observing, and found what Alyss had claimed to be true – the young female Adept and ex-Tuaparang general were gone. This surprised the young Tuaparang soldier slightly; she had thought the two hated one another, and she doubted that they'd really collaborate, unless of course they'd been able to reach terms of agreement.

Moira shrugged, "I guess the girl helped him?" she suggested.

Alyss shot her a look contempt, her hair shifting over her shoulder in sheets of sheer blond.

"Oh? And that's all that you've managed to come up with?"

Moira turned her head to face the female general, her eyes darkening slightly with recognition of what Alyss was insinuating.

"Look, I didn't have anything to do with it," she said in a tone of impatience. "You know that."

Alyss winced slightly, as she turned her face away from the Mercury Adept.

"Jedite told me the same thing. But you see, I'm not like him: I don't trust you."

"I'm not asking you to trust me!" Moira shouted out at her, causing Alyss to wince again. "I'm just asking you to think for a second! Why would I…?"

Alyss finally whipped around to face Moira, her eyes ablaze.

"I don't know, Moira! I just don't know!" Alyss spat, causing the young soldier to take a step back from her apprehensively. "So much mystery shrouds you, Moira, and no one really knows what you're about. When Jedite picked you up off the seacoast that day you seemed to have lost your memory, and so he felt sorry for you and brought you into our little circle. Now, a full year has passed, and I'm hard-pressed to believe that you still remember nothing of what you were before joining the Tuaparang, and I find it a bit suspicious. Wouldn't you?"

Moira bit her lip as she turned her face away from the general, not wishing to hear anymore, though she knew better than attempt to stop the woman from speaking.

"I thought we've already been through this," Moira said in barely more than a whisper. "I thought that we decided that my past life doesn't matter. My past is within the Tuaparang, all of my memories lie within serving the Tuaparang, and my future resides within the Tuaparang. According to the High Empyror, that's all that really counts, and considering he is your superior, I'd advise that you take his stance as well."

"I won't be having a 'child' telling me what to do!" Alyss snapped, as she turned her back to Moira entirely. "If you're so loyal and able, I want you to lead a troop through the forest. Scout out this entire part of the forest while the rest of us head to Kolima Village. Meet up with us there."

Moira nodded in agreement at Alyss's back, though she knew that the general couldn't see her.

"Yes, General," Moira paused, and then added wistfully. "Did – do you know where Jedite is now?"

Alyss began to walk away without giving Moira another glance, as she approached some soldiers that were waiting for her a short distance away.

"No, I don't," she replied at last, before heading out of the clearing, with half of the army trooping behind her. This left Moira with close to a half-dozen soldiers – a half-dozen that wouldn't listen to her, and Alyss had left without even giving them the order to.

Moira growled in frustration under her breath, as she turned to face what was supposed to be her troop.

"Okay, look: we need to find those Adepts before they manage to stir up a lot of trouble for us," she said. "Let's begin south and then make our way around towards the mountains. Sound good?"

A few of the soldiers sighed, while another protested against her saying, "A woman, in charge? What gives you the authority, miss?" Sarcasm filled the soldier's voice, and a few of the other men chortled to themselves. Moira crossed her arms impatiently as she faced the lot, her expression hard, representing a woman that didn't want to be crossed.

"General Alyss has left me in command during her absence," she replied shortly. "Anyone who wishes to complain will simply have to take it up with her. Will that be all?"

The soldiers muttered under their breaths, and one kicked at a dead tree branch on the ground, though no one else protested. Everyone feared Alyss and her sparky temper, and so no one else chose to complain further. Moira started heading into the thicket of trees, the soldiers following slowly behind her into the late, chilly morning.

~(*)~

The trip out of the forest and onto the coast was smooth and rather silent – much more than Amiti or any of the other members of the party had been anticipating. Even Tyrell didn't have much to say during their road trip, except for when it neared mealtimes, of course.

They had arrived in Port Rago only an hour ago, and they already had begun loading up the Lemurian ship with supplies as they prepared themselves to set sail. True, all of them were quite tired, and they would've preferred to wait until the next day before departing, but they knew that time was of the essence – the Tuaparang was quite likely hot on their heels, and resting up for even the hour that they had was concerning.

Matthew and Amiti were taking one last round of luggage aboard the ship and then they'd be all set to go. They had brought along whatever small amount of belongings that they still possessed, but the majority of their supplies were food wrapped in smallish parcels, and barrels of water. The water was difficult for both Matthew and Amiti to lug aboard, due to the barrel's massive size and weight. After attempting one and nearly bursting it upon dropping it, they had Tyrell and Eoleo – the two strongest members of their group – move the rest of the barrels in for them. Matthew and Amiti were partly ashamed to do so, though they were grateful when the job was finally done.

Matthew wiped his hands together, as he looked at the mess of barrels and bags that they'd manage to accumulate over the past few hours of their loading of the ship.

"Well, that's the rest of it," he said breathlessly to Amiti, who stood beside him, admiring their heap of belongings and supplies as well. "D'you reckon that we packed enough?"

"I believe so," Amiti said thoughtfully after a moments pause. "It shouldn't take us more than a few days to reach Lemuria anyway, correct?"

"I don't know," Matthew replied, his forehead creasing into a frown. "I've heard that Lemuria is rather hard to locate sometimes. This is assuming that we even _find _the island within all of the mist."

Amiti sighed, as he turned around to face the entryway.

"We have to though, don't we?" he asked him, turning his eyes onto him. "Too many people are relying on us – there's no room for error."

"Look, why don't you tell all of this to the captain of the ship, alright?" Matthew said, raising his hands up defensively. "I'm not saying that we won't find it, I'm just telling you that it might not be all that easy like you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking that it will be easy," Amiti muttered under his breath bitterly, as he walked across the wooden floorboards and left the ship.

He'd been in a rather foul mood since arriving in Port Rago, as for why, most of the party didn't know. Most of them simply tried to evade him, while others would go out of their way and actually try to be kind. Rief was one of these, and most were surprised by Rief's change of regards for the young king.

"He _is_ my cousin, after all," Rief would tell them irritably whenever anyone would question him on the subject. "He's one of the few relatives I've got, so I must try to make the best of it."

Amiti was quite grateful for Rief's enthusiasm in their relationship, and tried to reach out to him almost as eagerly, though he found it difficult when his mind was swarming with so many issues troubling him. His first and foremost concern was, of course, Ayuthay.

It'd been months since he'd left the country that he'd only recently been crowned king of, and he had no idea what state it could possibly be in just then. They needed help some time ago, and still Amiti had provided no aid to his country. Guilt laid heavily on the young king's shoulders, yet he felt helpless to do anything for Ayuthay; everything lied within ending the pandemic, he just needed to do so _quickly_. They had already dilly-dallied plenty; it was time to start moving forward – at all costs.

Matthew followed slowly behind the Water Adept, as they returned back to the docks where the others were waiting. Most of them were quite accustomed to sailing, and so they hadn't many concerns over boarding the ship now. It was just a matter of finding Lemuria that would be a concern.

Eoleo shot the two of them a grin as Matthew and Amiti approached. He then went over and swung an arm around Amiti's shoulders. Amiti shot him a funny glance, as he fought to remove the pirate's arm from his shoulders, yet failed.

"What?" Amiti asked him irritably, as they continued to walk down the stone pathway, leaving the docks entirely.

"Nothin', just hoped that we could talk," Eoleo said in a tone of indifference, one that seemed to hold a slight edge of concern. "We've got a minute before we take off, don't we?"

Amiti debated this for a moment as the two walked into town, and Eoleo removed his arm from his shoulders.

"_Thank you,_" Amiti said coldly, as he forced himself not to perform his immediate reaction, which would've been to brush his shoulder off. "Now, what is it that you were wanting to discuss with me?"

Eoleo glanced up and down the streets nervously, as though to be sure that they couldn't be overheard. He finally muttered from the corner of his mouth, "Business," without even glancing over at him.

Amiti remained silent as he stared at the Mars Adept coolly, waiting for him to continue, except for the fact that he didn't.

"Business?" Amiti inquired, as he urged him to go on.

"Yeah…" Eoleo muttered, staring off into the distance.

Amiti sighed impatiently as the pirate made no indication to proceed. He then began to turn around to face the direction in which they came.

"Look, if you don't want to talk," Amiti began, "I really should be leaving – there's still much to do before we depart-"

"No, no, no, hang still a moment. I do want to talk," Eoleo replied, smoothing down his shirt awkwardly. "It's just…I don't know where to start."

"Well, first you could tell me what sort of 'business' that you're wanting to discuss," Amiti suggested hopefully, while Eoleo thought this over, rubbing his chin in the process.

"Eh, well, alright, I guess there's no other way to ask you then to come out and say it: could you help me pick up a girl?"

Amiti stared at him blankly, thinking that he must've heard wrong. He? Help Eoleo pick up a girl? Whatever was he thinking?

"I- don't think I'd be the best one to aid you in that sort of thing," Amiti replied indifferently. "What made you ask me?"

"It's just that…well, out of everyone aboard, you're the only one that's actually managed to win a fair lady's heart, and I guess I just thought you'd be the one for the job, that's all."

Amiti frowned, as he continued to watch the pirate with a bemused expression.

"What are you talking about?" Amiti asked him skeptically, his eyebrows raised so that they nearly vanished underneath his unruly bangs. "I've never managed to win any girl's heart, nor have I ever tried very persistently."

Eoleo grinned over at Amiti in a knowing way, so that it was now Amiti's turn to look away from him.

"Come now, you really don't think you have? Really? What's Karis then, chop liver?"

"I've never won Karis's heart," Amiti said in an emotionless tone, as his eyes bore into the stone pavement on which they stood. "I'm not certain what would make you think that I had…?"

Eoleo chuckled wryly as he clapped Amiti on the shoulder, catching him by surprise and nearly throwing him off-balance and onto the ground.

"Amiti, my dear lad, have you never scrutinized the girl? Haven't you seen the way that she looks at you, and speaks to you? It's quite plain to me that you've won her, though I'm sorta surprised that everyone has failed to notice," he said, eyeing the Water Adept carefully.

Amiti remained silent for a moment, as he took in Eoleo's words and mused over them briefly. Could he be right…? But no - Karis's reaction to him had proved that she cared nothing for him, just as he was admitting his own feelings for her.

"I believe what you have witnessed has been misunderstood," Amiti replied darkly. "There is nothing between us except for a mutual friendship."

"Ah," Eoleo said, winking over at the younger of the two men. Amiti was slightly irritated that it seemed as though Eoleo still didn't believe him, but he didn't choose to argue the matter further. Just thinking about Karis and her reaction to his feelings was enough to depress him further, and the more he had to rehash it all, the worse that depression only became. Instead, he decided to direct the conversation back at the Fire Adept once more.

"So, what is this about me helping you win over a girl? How am I supposed to be of any use?"

"Well, ah, you see…" Eoleo paused, as he craned his neck back to look over his shoulder towards the entrance to Port Rago, where several shops along the coastline were closing up for the night. "She won't exactly speak to me."

Amiti could only stare at the pirate, as he continued on, "It's not my fault! Well, not really; it was sorta a misunderstanding of sorts, you see-"

"In other words," Amiti began, "you borrowed something from her without permission and now she won't speak to you."

"No! I wouldn't have done that!" Eoleo exclaimed loudly, as the Water Adept raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I mean that – _I _wouldn't have done that, but I can't stop me mates from doing something like that, see-"

Amiti let out a sigh, as he turned his head up to face the dusky sky streaked with marigolds and pinks. Why were they even discussing this matter? They were about to leave on what would seem an ominous mission, and here's Eoleo: stalling them out so that he can ask Amiti to help him win over some girl's heart that wants absolutely nothing to do with him. He couldn't believe his luck.

"That's quite a shame," Amiti said bitterly, trying to sound sincere even though he couldn't honestly care less. "Except I still am failing to see how I could be of help to you."

"I need you to get her here for me, since she won't speak to me, I mean."

"Okay, and so you think that she would listen any better to me? Will she not still refuse to come if I tell her that you're waiting here to speak with her?"

Eoleo paused, as he watched some passerbys leave the docks and head towards the small homes a mile away from the coast. The wind was picking up slowly, yet swiftly. At this rate, the weather wouldn't hold out nicely for sailing. Though of course, this didn't urge the pirate - who was well accustomed to the seas by now - to change his mind and set sail another day.

"You can't tell her that I'm waiting for her," he explained quietly. "You'll have to give her some story to lead her to me."

"Eoleo," Amiti began, annoyance biting the edge of his tone at this point, "I am trying very hard to understand you, yet I'm failing rather miserably. Is this really that urgent, _right now_, or can this wait until we come back? Does she really mean that much to you?"

"Really, she does," replied Eoleo solemnly, as his gaze met the stone path below their feet. "We've known each other since we were wee kids, and I vowed to my dad that I'd never marry unless I got _her. _But now, she won't even talk to me, and I haven't even gotten to tell her how I feel about her."

"_I doubt that will change things much,"_ Amiti thought to himself, though he didn't voice this aloud, lest he only wound Eoleo even more.

"I know it's a long-shot, but I've at least gotta tell her how I feel about her. Then, maybe she'll give me a chance – maybe she just thinks that I don't care. Please, mate," he turned to face Amiti upon this, his dark eyes staring helplessly into Amiti's softer ones. "You've always been the kinda person to offer second chances to folks, and everyone always respects yeh for being royalty and all –"

"So, you're using the crown of Ayuthay to win you a girl," said Amiti bitterly. "I don't like that idea."

"Come on, Amiti! I really need your help! I'll give ya something in return, if that's what you want. Really, come on; don't you even care if I lose this girl forever?"

Much to Amiti's dismay, he looked back into the eyes of the pirate and couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for him. He knew what it was like to love someone when they didn't love you back; it was a terrible position to be in, and he would never be able to forgive himself if he'd left someone in that state without even bothering to help when asked – even if it was only Eoleo, the Pirate Lord.

"Alright, I suppose so," Amiti replied with a sigh. "But must we do this before we leave? It's getting rather late, and we still need to get a few things in order before we depart –"

Eoleo beamed at him, exposing teeth that were surprisingly straight and white for a pirate. "Thank you, lad! You've no idea how much that means to me."

Amiti nodded, still not entirely sure why he'd just accepted what he had.

"Can it wait, though?"

Eoleo bit back on his lower lip as he nodded, "Of course, this trip is most important right now – we can stop by Champa on our way back and you can help set up a meeting for me."

Amiti let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding until that point, as relief flooded through him.

"Thank you, I'm glad that you see the urgency in reaching Lemuria as well," Amiti paused thoughtfully, and then added after a moment. "Do you think we will be able to locate the island?"

Eoleo frowned, as his thick, crimson eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, it depends on many things, really," he said at last. "I myself have never been there, so I can't tell ya if it's really possible or not. But I'll say this: if it's possible to any man, then we can do it. I'm sure of it."

The Water Adept nodded, as the shouting of a familiar voice calling their names caught his attention. He snapped his gaze up towards the docks to find Rief there waving frantically at them.

"Well, we should go, I think," Amiti said, turning his head to face the smooth, calm face of the ocean alongside them. "I'm sure they're getting rather anxious about departing."

"Yeah,"

The two stood there silently for a moment, as the wind brushed the hair from their faces and chilled them to the bone. Though no snow covered this portion of the continent, the air still came from the North, and it was quite chilling. Amiti was grateful for the warmth of his sweater, though with Eoleo's usual attire of a tank top and short, the same couldn't be said for him.

"I'm glad that you agreed to help me," Eoleo said finally after a moment, snapping Amiti's thoughts back to the present as he turned his head to face him. "Thanks, Amiti. You really are an okay kid after all."

Amiti continued to stare at him a moment, unsure of how to really take the statement until he finally just decided to let his grudge fall for the moment.

"You're welcome," he said at last. "I do hope that you win her heart."

For in Amiti's opinion, _someone _deserved to win.

**Author's Note:**

Okay, so I think I had promised that last chapter would be the final filler. My apologies everyone, for as you see, I lied :P hehe. I was intending on having the story start right back up again after they were already at sea, but I felt that it would seem rather incomplete that way, as I'd be skipping quite a bit of a time span in order to do so. I hope this will round out the story more as I was intending it to. I also thought it'd be interesting to show a little bit of interaction between Amiti and Eoleo, the two people that can stand each other the least amongst the party. I do worry that Eoleo was slightly OOC in this chapter, but I can assure you that he'll be back to his regular old, spunky self later on. And just to give you all a hint: Amiti and Eoleo don't stay friends for long ;) A pirate and a prince just aren't meant to be I suppose…

I tried to add less description to this chapter as well - is it any better? What do you all think?

Oh, and also! For those of you that had read the previous chapter before I had gotten the chance to update it, I have renamed the female Tuaparang soldier from Kyra to Moira. Just wanted to mention that, in case any of you are scratching your heads over there wondering "Who the heck is Moira?"

Anyway, I'd love a review, long or short, to hear what you think :) Reviews really do me wonders, and that way I can get a better idea of what readers are looking for.

Thanks bunches everyone!


	29. Deception

Chapter 29:

Heels clicked on the marble floor of the meeting hall, breaking up the monotonous silence. The chancellor of Ayuthay barely looked up at the newcomer from his maps on the table of which he was standing before, and it was quite obvious from his rigid demeanor that he was displeased.

"I thought you were through here," the chancellor said crossly, as though they'd been through this before. "I lived up to my end of the bargain, now it's time that you live up to yours - and _leave my kingdom_."

The newcomer clicked his tongue as he made his way over to the chancellor's table, his long black hair held in an intricate coil that revealed hair falling mid-way down his back.

"Such impatience; surely I would've thought you would be interested in my appearance, if nothing more," the man said, returning the cold greeting.

He paused at the head of the table, as he studied the map before him with an observant eye. His eyebrows creased into a frown as he noticed the white pinheads that the chancellor had strategically placed around the borders of Morgal.

"Hmm, and what is this?" he asked as he tilted his head in the chancellor's direction, making eye contact with the elder man at last.

"I'm stationing some men there," he replied gruffly. "In case everything doesn't go as smoothly as planned."

"Ah, so you mean in case our negotiations fail," the newcomer said, running a gloved hand along the map. "These positions are terrible, and would do you no good anyway."

"What are you doing here anyway, Kakashi? I thought you were through here. You have what you want, so why bother coming back? To bother me more?" the chancellor asked, impatience biting the edge of his tone.

The Kaocho general, Kakashi, looked up calmly into the wrinkled face of the chancellor, without showing irritation in the slightest degree.

"You did not live up to your end of the bargain," he said shortly, as he began to walk along the opposite side of the table.

The chancellor only continued to stare at the man with great distaste, as he continued to make his way slowly around the table, his hand running along the length of it as he did so.

"What does that portend to?" the chancellor asked.

Kakashi paused midway and grinned, turning back to face the table once more.

"You told me that if we brought you to the head of the Ayuthayan government that you would give us the king – and an allegiance –"

"I _gave _you the king!" the chancellor said impatiently, slamming a fist against the table. "I sent him to Morgal for you! Isn't that what you wanted?"

Kakashi tilted his head slightly, while removing one of the white pinheads from the map and repositioning it.

"Yes, and no," he said softly. "You see, you sent him to Morgal, but he apparently paid no heed to your advice, as we've had many troops scouting the area and there's no prince – correction: _king _to be had within the region."

The chancellor bit down on his lower lip, as he ran a hand through his short, gray beard.

"That is none of my concern, for I had ordered the boy to go there – I am no longer held responsible for his actions –"

"That may be true, but I would've thought you'd send search parties out for him by now."

The chancellor gaped at the general, who remained calm and serene, despite the heated state that the elder man was entering.

"What? And lure him back? He's gone, and he's better off that way. For all I know, Amiti could be dead, or dying – perhaps he's even been plagued by this disease by now."

The sly smile returned to the general's lips as he turned his head to face the chancellor once more, his gloved hand pausing mid-air above one of the pinheads.

"I think King Wo and I would like it very much if you sent search parties off to find your "dear king", or else something terrible might happen to him," he said, sarcasm filling his tone. "And then, we need to work on that alliance part of our agreement; or trust me, my dear friend, you might not remain Prime Minister of Ayuthay for long."

He removed the pinhead from its location and repositioned it, as the chancellor responded, "What sort of action are you wishing for me to take? I can't provide you with more men, as ours are scarce enough as it is, what with the Grave Eclipse and Amiti's constant troops positioned around the borders of Kaocho."

"Oh, but you see, we need _more _military power. Or, at least more of a…persuasion."

The chancellor's thick eyebrows furrowed into a frown. "I don't follow you."

Kakashi's lips turned upward into a grin, as he then began to remove all of the white pinheads. He then moved onto the red ones, which presumably symbolized the opposing side.

"Kaocho is left weak, ever since we lost many of our troops to the devastation of the Grave Eclipse. Much like your pathetic Ayuthay, Kaocho is falling. No one takes us seriously, Chancellor. No one will consider anything without a little extra persuasion from a fellow ally. A strong, influential one that would perhaps impose a threat whereas we didn't have the power to do so."

The chancellor eyed Kakashi critically as he began to reposition all of the pinheads, starting with the red ones.

"So you see, when we declare war on Passaj," Kakashi continued, as his hands moved swiftly along the mountainside while placing the red pinheads along the map. "Ayuthay is going to be right there to back us up. If the idiotic nation has any brains, _at all_, they will surrender immediately before having to deal with a devastating blow. Once we have Passaj under our wing, the other countries within the Ei-Jei region will be obliged to follow suit. So you see, it won't be long before this dominion of Angara will be ours; yours and mine, my dear, old friend."

The red pinheads were at last in place, along with white ones storming across the borders - the white ones greatly dominating over the red. The chancellor slowly moved his dark eyes from the map and onto the general, whom grinned madly at him.

"What will it be, Chancellor?" he asked slowly, as he reached out a gloved hand to grasp his. "Do we have an accord?"

The chancellor let out a slight groan, as his eyes began to trace the map tentatively. While the man was eager to obtain power, he was also resentful about declaring war against their long-lived allegiance of Passaj – through thick and thin, the country had always been there to back them up, and it pained the chancellor slightly that soon he would have to betray even their greatest of allies. It wasn't difficult for him to rat out Amiti to Kaocho; the boy was, after all, the bastard-born son of the princess, and in his opinion wasn't worthy of the throne in any respect anyway. Ridding the country of him didn't seem a crime, or incorrect in any way. Destroying alliances with fellow leaders and countries was an entirely different matter; it seemed wrong, and the chancellor was having a hard time ingesting it, even if it did mean sovereign power over Ayuthay. He had made the agreement with King Wo that he'd offer him Amiti along with his services if he granted him power, only he hadn't initially realized at what cost he would he be required to do it in.

"I think," the chancellor said slowly, not removing his eyes from the map, "that we should give this a bit more thought - before declaring war on Passaj, that is. Passaj has always been a very reliable ally up to this point, and there's no saying that they won't cooperate if we ask them to –"

"The Elders of Passaj hold their loyalty with the royal family blood-line," Kakashi interrupted. "They will never side with you, so long as there's any ounce of a possibility that the king is still alive. Unless you wave his dead body in their faces, or declare war with them, there is no possible way that they would cooperate, and even then they still may refuse. We might have to take their country down by force in the end, though I do know that Passaj isn't notorious for their warriors."

The chancellor remained thoughtful for a moment, as he began to remove the red pinheads from the mountainside and moved them further up the map, towards the boundaries of Morgal.

"_If _we can break through their forces, that is," the chancellor said slowly. "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps they could seek military help elsewhere aside from the Ei-Jei region?"

Kakashi snorted, as he laid a hand down against the smooth, cedar table.

"And where do you suppose they would seek this epic help? Surely not from Bilibin, or any of the other countries along the opposite side of Angara."

"No, I was thinking more on the terms of Morgal –" replied the chancellor. "They have strong military forces, ones that I'm not certain that we could hold our ground with the troops of Kaocho and Ayuthay combined. This needs to be something that King Wo takes into consideration."

Kakashi scowled, as he turned to face the chancellor, tucking back a tiny lock of black hair that managed to escape his coil.

"I can assure you that won't be a concern," he sneered. "Morgal is too busy with their own affairs, what with the outbreak of the pandemic within their hands. They have far too many Adepts that they must worry about contracting this fatal illness; surely they won't have the energy or means to worry about creating an alliance built up of solely humans. You know how they feel about those outside of their race."

"That was with Morgal's former king," the chancellor interrupted. "With their new ruler, things might be different."

Kakashi sighed and shook his head, taking long strides alongside the remainder of the table towards the chancellor.

"If these issues arise, _then _I will take your advice into consideration," he said impatiently. "But, until that time comes, Kaocho is declaring war against Passaj, and you are going to back us up."

Kakashi then turned to leave, his heels once more clicking along the floor.

"And if I should not?" the chancellor asked, causing the general to pause dead in his steps. "What then?"

Kakashi barely glanced over his shoulder at the chancellor whom stood at the opposite end of the room from him.

"Let's just say that only a fool would decline," he said shortly, as he then continued on towards the doors and out of meeting hall.

The chancellor clenched his fists and brought them both upon the cedar table, his eyes fixated on the door in which the Kaocho general had exited.

"Curse them," the chancellor muttered under his breath to no one but himself and any soldier nearby that could've been listening. "The whole entire lot of them."

~(*)~

Darkness had already fallen by the time Alex and his two female accomplices had arrived in the large capital of Morgal. Though despite the city's splendor and festive lights, it was to be considered anything but welcoming.

The streets, normally packed with residents and tourists alike, were now barren, creating an abandoned, ghost town-like atmosphere. The shops, that were normally open at this hour, had already closed, and even some had been boarded up. The sight was enough to make any passerby a tad bit queasy, and it had at least made Alex's heart sink, if nothing more.

"This isn't right," Alex muttered under his breath, taking in the scene in bewilderment. "Belinsk is always busy; day or night."

The young Venus Adept said nothing, though it could be read through her eyes and expression that she was fearful. She glanced over from one side of the shopping strip to the other, searching for any trace of leftover life left within the city, but found none. This was certainly not how she had remembered leaving it. No, most certainly not.

"Perhaps because it is cold outside?" Marishka suggested, as if this explanation was sound, and something that the Water Adept hadn't already thought of.

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "Something's wrong here – my senses tell me that something bad has happened here."

Himi let out a sharp gasp, and abruptly turned her orb-like eyes onto the elder Adept.

"Do you think the Tuaparang's already been here?" she asked frantically. "What if they already found Matthew? What if –"

"Pipe down," Alex muttered in a low growl, bringing a hand up to Himi's shoulder and grasping it. "No, I somewhat doubt that the Tuaparang's been here, but I'm wondering about the pandemic."

Confusion spread across the young girl's visage, as she slowly began to process what Alex was saying.

"If that's true –" Marishka broke in, protruding into Himi's thoughts, "then it isn't safe for the two of you to be here, is it?"

All eyes turned upon the Water Adept momentarily, his expression passive as he responded in a very calm tone. "If we linger here for too long, perhaps. We'd best move quickly."

It was unanimous amongst the three that they should go on about their business and depart as soon as they could. Though the pandemic had been reported as to only have affected Adepts so far, Marishka wasn't exactly inclined to take any chances.

As though a gentle breeze brushing across a water's surface, the three made their way through Central Belinsk just as silently, without even disrupting the snow of which lay so elegantly upon the city, decorating every step, bench, pathway and rooftop with thick blankets of pure white.

Many thoughts ran through the young Venus Adept's mind as she continued to follow Alex and Marishka towards the Northern entrance to Belinsk castle, one of which was the current safety of Sveta. While still in Yamata City, Morgal was believed to be free of this terrible disease, but from the looks of things, and Alex's confirmation, she began to think that rumor was no longer true

Due to the lack of traffic upon the streets, it took very little time for them to travel through the entire city and reach the palace gates, which astoundingly, were still being guarded by a couple of Beastman. Both men looked as though they'd recently taken a beating, and one of them even had tufts of fur sticking up in many places.

Alex, without bothering to lower the hood of his cloak, stepped forth.

"Good evening," he said in his usual, exceedingly calm drawl. "I have come to bid the queen my well wishes during these dark, terrible times –"

"Name?" one of the Beastman asked stiffly, as if he couldn't have cared less for Alex's grandiose intro.

"Alex, from the snowy mountains of Imil, and Princess Himi of Yamata," he replied smiling, though it was probably nearing impossible for the Beastman to be able to make out his expression from under his hood. "We also come with a warning for her –"

"I'll inform her majesty that you are here," the Beastman interjected, as he lowered his massive spear and began to turn away. "Wait here, and I shall inform you as to whether her majesty is feeing up for an audience or not."

Alex barely nodded. "That would be lovely; I thank you."

Without a further word, the Beastman turned and slowly climbed up the palace steps. Their welcome was no warmer than that provided from the city, though Alex expected no more from them, to be entirely truthful. He had gotten their former king killed, and he expected anything but a warm welcome. Though granted, the Beastmen were paying very little heed to the three newcomers anyway, and it was highly unlikely that they managed to tie the connection between Alex and the former general of the Tuaparang, Arcanus.

Marishka's body shivered alongside the Water Adept, as she drew her cloak tighter around her and let out a sigh.

"They could have _at least _had the hospitality to invite us inside the doors to wait," she grumbled under her breath, "Making us stand out here is appalling."

"Let me remind you, my dear," Alex muttered, bending over to whisper in her ear, "that this isn't Kibombo, but instead, the land of the _Beast_man."

Even from where Himi stood, she could tell that Alex put quite an emphasis on the word 'beast', as though being derogatory.

Marishka found his statement anything but humorous, as she harrumphed and crossed her arms.

"Well, unlike the _Beast_man, we don't have fur coats and canines –"

Upon this, the remaining guard growled lowly, causing poor Himi to leap in surprise.

"Sorry," Alex muttered, offering the Beastman an apologetic smile and waving his hand carelessly. "My servant here doesn't speak very good English –"

"Servant?"

Alex turned and smiled serenely upon Marishka, a smile that Himi knew all too well to take as a warning rather than an act of kindness. Marishka shook her head irritably, but said no more as she continued to wait silently in the chilly evening.

After what seemed to be countless moments, the guard finally returned, shifting his dark, beady eyes towards Alex.

"I'm afraid that the queen already has an audience that she is entertaining," the Beastman informed him cordially. "Please try coming again tomorrow."

Alex blinked, fixing the Beastman with a cool stare.

"And did you…inform her majesty of my presence?" he inquired, his voice still smooth and serene, despite the fact that he repeatedly curled and uncurled his hands into fists.

"She doesn't wish to be disturbed at this time," the Beastman replied, a bit more firmly than he had previously. "Perhaps she will have the time to see you tomorrow."

"Perhaps _I _will not have the time to see her tomorrow," Alex retorted, his patience growing finer as he spoke. "I have come to warn her of a great calamity that is to befall Morgal. If her Majesty doesn't take action soon – she might lose much more than her crown."

It seemed as if Alex had pulled a trigger, for the Beastman stepped forth, a snarl engraved upon his face as he inched closer towards the Mercury Adept. Though Alex wasn't a short man under any circumstances, the brawny Beastman seemed to tower over him, his eyes boring into those of the blue-haired man.

"I will only ask you of this once:," the Beastman said in a low, dangerous growl. "Leave."

Despite his confidence, Alex found no further ground to argue with the Beastman, and bowed his head low.

"Of course, as you wish, Sir. I meant to impose no harm or offense to you or her majesty, the queen."

In response, the Beastman only growled and straightened his spear to be standing upright, its post firmly rooted into the snow. Alex then turned to leave, shooting a glance over his shoulder as he began to descend down the steps and away from the palace gates. Marishka and Himi were close behind him; no way did they wish to be left behind with a couple of Beastman that Alex so considerately angered.

"Well, that went well," Marishka muttered sarcastically, folding her arms across her chest. "Did that go as you were expecting, Arcanus? Or should I say, _Master_?"

Alex frowned as he paused mid-step, forcing Himi to backtrack so that she would be in earshot when he spoke.

"I'll be frank, I' didn't think that it would be easy to get in," he admitted. "It never was, not even back when Volechek was king."

Himi tilted her head slightly, her silky black hair parting as it fell gracefully over her shoulders.

"How did you manage to get in before?" she asked.

"Back then it was different," Alex replied gruffly, taking a second glance back towards the castle. "I was an honored guest to Volechek, so naturally, he granted me entry. It was only a matter of getting to him the first time. That had proved to be difficult –"

At this, Alex froze, realization lighting his eyes as they remained fixated upon the white, plush snow.

Marishka and Himi remained standing there, shivering, as they watched Alex skeptically, until Marishka broke the prolonged silence at long last.

"Well, what is it?" she asked. "Is something the matter?"

Alex, snapping out of his moment's daze, turned his gaze upon the Gondowan dancer and took a step backward.

"I have an idea," he informed them, a sly grin forming around the edges of his mouth. "Wait here; I'll see to it that we get to see Sveta tonight."

Before neither of the two could speak, Alex gave an abrupt start and vanished from sight, leaving the two standing out in the bitter cold with naught but a few words.

"And once again we are left to wait," Marishka said with a sigh, as she turned towards her younger companion. "That now makes two that Arcanus owes me."

**Author's Note: **Hello out there to any readers that I have left! I apologize profusely for my long hiatus from writing this story. Aside from many family events taking place over the past few months and not to mention, my loss of inspiration for this story, I've been set back immensely on writing this. I am going to once again set this story as one of my top priorities, and hopefully will have a new chapter each week for everyone to enjoy (or hate, whichever appeals to you more :D). Once again, I apologize for the long delay, and I hope that I have at least a few of my old readers out there still!

The first portion of this chapter was actually written several months ago, whereas the second half of this was in fact written over the past couple of days. So yes, there was a bit of stretch between writing this, and I hope this chapter overall doesn't have too random of a feel. Hopefully my following chapters will be written during a shorter span of time, and won't have that awkward gap to it ;)

As always, I'd love to hear your what you think. Constructive criticism is an author's best friend, as well as any advice that you may provide that could make this story better. They're definitely encouraging, at the very least :D

A big thank you for reading! Enjoy!


	30. Bond Between Rivals

**Chapter XXX:**

Silence filled the dining hall that evening, with the only sound disrupting it being the chiming of silverware against porcelain dishes. It had been quite some time since the elder group of Adepts had a decent meal with their time spent on the road and despite trying to be polite, it was expected that their famine would override their manners.

The queen of the Beastman smiled whilst bringing her goblet to her lips, feeling happiness wash over her for the first time in weeks at the arrival of her guests. Ever since the dreaded pandemic swept over Belinsk several weeks prior, she found hardly anything to smile about. Servants falling ill left and right, and the death tolls in the capital rising to their highest yet within only a matter a few short weeks was enough to make any person feel as though all hope was lost. Though for Sveta, who had suffered many losses over the past year, it felt like more than she could possibly bear.

After several more moments of silence reigning the dinner table, and while some piled third helpings onto their plates, Sveta spoke at last to her honored guests.

"I'm so glad that you all have come." She paused, gathering her thoughts momentarily before continuing, "for I'm quite at a loss of what I should do now; over half of my people have contracted this illness, and I've made no attempts to remedy or prevent it."

Jenna's brows creased with worry at the shadows of which shed over the once-radiant visage of the queen.

"I know I'm supposed to be strong," Sveta continued, a silent tear making its way down her pale cheek. "I know that's what Volechek would expect of me, but-"

"Don't worry," Felix spoke up, setting down his fork for the first time that evening as he turned to face Sveta. "We're here now, and we're going to help. Just tell us what we can do for you."

Sveta nodded silently, folding her hands in her silken lap underneath the table.

"Thank you."

"I just hope that we can help you somehow," Sheba muttered, offering the young queen a slight smile.

Most of the occupants of the table had set their silverware to rest at last, and they now sat there in silence, awaiting for what would seem to be a very long, dull conversation to play out. The queen brought a napkin to her mouth before resting her evergreen eyes upon Felix, who proposed himself as 'leader' within the group, despite the fact that no leader had been appointed amongst them.

"First, if I may," Sveta began, turning to each member of the table in sequence. "What brought you all here to Morgal? Surely you haven't come under the influence of Kaocho?"

Felix raised an eyebrow in confusion, before shaking his head violently.

"Oh, no no, of course not. We would take no such orders from them!" he ejaculated. "As far as I'm concerned, Kaocho could take a hike down the-"

"We're looking for our children, actually," Jenna said, interrupting Felix in the midst of his rampage. "Or at least, some of us are looking for our children around this table. You know Matthew, right?"

At the mention of this, a fire kindled within Sveta's eyes; an expression that was quite hard to discern, though one could safely assume that it was a mix of joy and concern.

"Why, of course I do! He's a very-" She paused, as if searching for the proper word, before adding, -a very dear friend of mine. How is he, do you know?"

Jenna shook her head, locks of auburn hair escaping her ponytail and falling into her face. "I wish I did. As you see, he's my son."

These words made quite an impact upon Sveta, and for a moment the party of Adepts thought the young queen would leap up from her spot and shake Jenna's hand fervently due to the excitement that crept over her. Yet, she remained sitting in her seat, though her smile ran a mile wide as she bowed her head low in respect to the elder Mars Adept.

"Oh, I had no idea that you were Matthew's mother!" she exclaimed joyously before turning to gaze upon the others. "And so, you must all know Matthew as well?"

"Ah, we've all known Matthew for almost as long as he's been around," Ivan commented fondly. Felix shot him a sharp glance, which prompted him to quickly add, "Most of us have, anyway."

"We're wanting to know what happened to him," Felix told the Beastwoman, casually shifting himself so that he were facing her more directly. "Since he'd been traveling with us one minute, and then gone the next."

"Well, not quite like that, exactly," spoke up a young Mercury Adept, whom had been nearly forgotten about up till that point. It was the young daughter of Mia, Nowell, who blushed the moment that all eyes fell upon her.

"I mean...pretty much," she muttered under her breath, averting her gaze from their intense stare. "They'd been taken by the Tuaparang with Kraden."

A sharp gasp resounded across the vast dining hall. Sveta couldn't believe her long, pointed ears.

"They've taken him?" she asked incredulously, her eyebrows creasing with worry. "No...they couldn't. How... Why...?"

The table fell silent, and it took a moment for Nowell to realize that everyone was once again watching her. She was the only one that had witnessed the full exchange between the members of the Tuaparang and the young Adepts that'd been abducted, therefore she'd been asked to recount the story several times since their disappearance. The young girl turned an even deeper shade of crimson, which contrasted quite deeply with her aqua-blue hair.

"I'm really not sure how it all began," she said slowly, "but Kraden had something that they wanted, so they decided to take him in. Only...the kids decided to go with him."

It was ironic, really, that Nowell seemed to find it fit to refer to the younger band of Adepts as 'kids,' while she herself was merely a couple years older than them, and even younger than some. No one seemed to catch this nor bat an eye, however, but instead the adults were deep in conversation, discussing the motives behind the Tuaparang's actions.

"It figures that Kraden had something they wanted," Piers muttered, resting his forehead in his hand. "It seems as if anything that could be desired would be found within the possession of the old scholar."

"Did you happen to catch what it was, dear?" Mia asked hopefully, turning to face her daughter. The girl shook her head in response.

"I believe they might've said, though I didn't catch it if they had."

The table fell silent once more, with each member having nothing more to comment or question in the matter. Sveta bit her lip concernedly, nearly breaking the skin with her sharp canines; she remembered how devious and deadly the Tuaparang could be, and the sheer thought of Matthew being at the mercy of them nearly set the young queen on edge. She shook her head, her long, lavender braids shifting slightly over the side of her chair.

"We must do what we can to help them," Sveta said firmly, turning her gaze onto Felix once more. "I'm willing to help at any cost."

"That's very kind of you," Jenna replied, once again interrupting her older brother as he attempted to speak, "but I think your people need you more first. We can handle rescuing Matthew on our own; we were just wondering if you'd seen him."

Sveta's eyes turned towards the Mars Adept, eyes of which now brimmed with tears.

"I don't even know what's starting this pandemic," Sveta murmured bitterly. "Let alone do I know how to prevent it."

"No one does know how, Sveta," Ivan replied firmly. "In fact, I don't think there's anything that _can_ be done to prevent it. It's not controllable by humans, and until we put a stop to the source...I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done about it."

Felix brought his goblet to his lips, but hesitated before taking a sip.

"I do have a suggestion though," he broke in, his hazel eyes turning upon the young Jupiter Adept. "We have a shelter for Adepts back in Passaj; why not evacuate all of the uninfected residents of Belinsk there?"

Sveta blinked back tears of confusion, hope perking up within her heart at his words.

"W-what's this? A shelter? Do you really think they'll be safe there?" she inquired, attempting not to sound too eager at his advice. Felix nodded.

"It's up in the mountains," he further explained, "and the pandemic hasn't seemed to reach the nation, for whatever reason. I think your people will probably be fairly safe there, or at least, until the disease spreads."

Though this probably should've brought relief to the queen, she felt a heaviness seize her heart. The Beastman have never been treated well by humans, how were they to simply integrate into human society, leaving their homes and their former lives behind? Could she ever promise them return? It seemed a tad bit foolish to merely evacuate all her people solely for a deadly disease alone, especially when their destination was no more guaranteed to be free of illness than the city next door. Sveta shook her head.

"I'll have to give this some thought, if I may," she replied solemnly. "I'm afraid it won't be easy for my people to migrate to another society in which aren't accustomed to Beastman."

Felix gave her a knowing nod, before turning to look upon his sister.

"That's fine, take your time. Though be aware that once the pandemic infects an area, it won't surrender it anytime soon," he told her, brushing locks of unruly brown hair from his face. "They learned that the hard way in Harapa."

Sheba's eyes vacantly bored into the fruit bowl of which rested at the center of the table, remaining silent up until that point.

"I honestly don't know if they have any Adepts left," she muttered under her breath. "It's such a shame...and such a waste."

All members of the table nodded in agreement, while some drew their goblets to their lips once more. Servants came through to clear off the table, removing all dishes and the leftovers from their gourmet meal. Sveta's eyes traced the patterns of the white, silken tablecloth while musing over their situation at hand; nothing looked to be a very good option, it was only a matter of choosing which was more ominous over the other.

"What are your plans for rescuing Matthew?" she asked stiffly, turning her head up to look into the eyes of the Mars Adept. The redhead returned the tortured look, eventually reverting her eyes from those of the Beastwoman.

"There is no plan yet," Jenna muttered under her breath, closing her eyes to those around her. "We - I guess we had some hope that he might be here."

Normally, Sveta was a very respectful person and would leave one to their own thoughts, though there would be times where she'd bend this stance; namely when one was in grave danger and she needed to aid them. She convinced herself that this was one of those times, and therefore, began to look into the mind of the troubled Adept.

Mind Read was a gift that had been passed down for generations from the royal family of Morgal, and probably went back further than that, though Sveta couldn't quote this to be fact. Her father found it troublesome, for unlike Sveta, he found it a bit more trying to abstain from looking into the minds of others when political debates would take place. Sveta partly wondered if this had something to do with why her family had been able to wind themselves up in so many wars - she likely would never know.

Visions began to rush into the mind of the queen; visions that were not her own. She saw the redhead coming down a dark hall, nearly in tears as she turned away from Mia. As this vision dissolved, another appeared in which she was standing alongside Ivan in a room, which, gauging by its dimension and demeanor, seemed to be one of an inn.

"I know most often times dreams mean nothing," Ivan told her, looking up into the Mars Adept from where he remained sitting on the bed. "But this dream... It was different, different from any other I've had before -"

Jenna shrugged irritably at his words, though it was undeniable that she was considering them greatly.

"If this was coming from anyone other than you, Ivan," she said in a tone that was nearly inaudible, "I wouldn't even give it a second thought."

"I'm sorry, Jenna..." Ivan shook his head, his blond bangs clumsily falling into his eyes and across his forehead. "I don't wish for this to be so, either."

Sveta's interest grew, as she tried to focus in more on what she was seeing, before Jenna abruptly broke into her thoughts, and the connection between minds was ceased.

"If you don't mind, we came to ask you a favor," the redhead stated flatly, without giving this request a second thought. "I hope it isn't too large of one."

Sveta shook her head abruptly, the candlelight illuminating the dark shadows under her eyes from anxiety and sleep deprivation.

"Not one bit, I would actually be relieved if there was something I could do to help you."

"We're looking for a Lemurian-crafted vessel -"

Sveta frowned, nose twitching slightly as she mused over this rather odd request.

"A Lemurian ship?" she inquired. "May I ask what interests you in one?"

Jenna's gaze shifted uneasily from the queen and onto the short blond man, who sat several places down from the Beastwoman.

"We're wanting to go to Lemuria."

At this, a silence lingered upon the dining table, each pair of eyes watching Sveta tentatively as she thought over Jenna's request. Her curiosity peaked immensely, though she tried to keep it subdued as she responded to the group of Adepts around her.

"I know that we have several good vessels within our docks," Sveta began, turning her eyes back onto Jenna once more. "Though I don't believe any of them are Lumerian-built, no..."

Jenna and Ivan exchanged glances across the table, while Felix attempted to get yet another lemon poppyseed muffin onto his plate but dropped it into a dish of some liquid-like substance instead. Sheba sighed and brought her napkin up to wipe at the stained tablecloth, while Felix just watched her in befuddlement.

"I do have a ship," Piers spoke, tearing his eyes away from the scene of ridicule and back towards the conversing party. "Except it's back where we'd left it in Southern Angara. It would be treacherous to travel through that territory with their raids for Adepts, let alone attempting to retrieve the vessel. It would be suicide."

They all pondered this for a moment in silence, with Sheba completing her cleanup job of the spilt pudding, and Felix successfully landing a lemon poppyseed muffin onto his plate. The queen finally spoke.

"Why is it that you wish to go to Lemuria?" she asked, her tone causing Jenna to freeze in her seat. It was apparent that it was a topic that she didn't wish to share with all members at the table, though Sveta couldn't possibly begin to imagine why. "Does it have something to do with Matthew?"

Jenna inclined her head towards Ivan, as if suggesting for him to explain. He didn't seem to get the hint, however, as he wore a very puzzled expression and said, "I think she was asking you, Jenna."

She let out a sigh, discovering that she couldn't keep the inquisitive Beastwoman in suspense any longer.

"We - we had a lead," she said slowly, gesturing towards Ivan once more. "Ivan had this dream that indicated the kids might be in danger there...but that's all."

She waved a hand, as though this were a matter of no importance as she continued, "So we thought we'd at least go there to see, after all, it couldn't hurt."

Sveta let out a sigh and shook her head.

"I - I wish I could go with you, except I'm reluctant to leave my people while this disease is still spreading," she said, more to herself than anyone else, though it seemed someone from across the room thought she was addressing himself instead.

"They're right, I'm afraid. Until Magnos is gone, there won't be any reprieve from this dreaded disease that's reducing the Adept population to a minuscule number."

All heads whipped around towards the massive, oak double-doors to find a man dressed in a traveler's cloak standing there. A man who was rather unwelcome within that palace, all the way from the smirk on his face and down to the snow on his boots. Sveta's eyes met those of the male Mercury Adept sharply; her's timid and pensive, while his remained cold and confident.

"Alex," she murmured, fearful yet irritated by his appearance. "What ever are you doing _here_?"

The Water Adept smirked, brushing stray stands of aqua-blue hair from his face as he stepped further into the dining hall, his heels echoing across the ceramic tiles with each step he took towards the table.

"I came to provide my aid," he replied, his tone calm and unnerved as he spoke. "Given the fact that I have a considerable amount of knowledge in this matter, Majesty -"

"Alright, let it out, Alex," Felix grumbled, attracting the gaze of the Water Adept. "How are you connected with all this? And what do you know about Matthew?"

Alex chuckled lightly, his stature only relaxing slightly as he lazily turned his gaze upon the heated Earth Adept. "I'm not connected with any of this at all. However, I do believe that I know who is." He paused at this momentarily, shifting his gaze uneasily towards the bay window against the opposite wall, to the flickering candles and at last returning to Felix. "The Tuaparang are heatedly seeking Matthew as we speak, and won't stop at anything until he's in their grasp."

"Yes, we know that already," Ivan mumbled irritably, raising his head in a slight jerking motion to face the unwelcome newcomer. "And I suppose you've come to collect him?"

Upon the intense stare of the Mercury Adept, Ivan bowed his head to the table once more while shifting uneasily in his seat. Though it had been many years, events took place between this group that Ivan couldn't easily forget, and he could tell by the gleam in Alex's eye that he'd far from forgotten as well.

"I am no longer associated with the Tuaparang," he replied stiffly. "I now work solo, and I'm just as helpless and vulnerable to this disease as the rest of you. But -"

At this, he turned towards Jenna, whose back still remained to him. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, though when she didn't turn around to acknowledge him he moved on to Felix instead.

"I know of a way for us to end this pandemic," he announced. "All I need is an extra hand or two to find Matthew and we'll be all good and well."

"No," Jenna broke in, shaking her head frantically. Though it was impossible to make out her expression with her back facing the Water Adept, her shoulders quivered slightly as though indicating she was on the brink of tears. "We don't want your help finding Matthew. You just keep your abnormally large nose out of things and I'm sure everything will be just fine, thank you."

Alex looked slightly abashed by this statement, yet as suddenly as he appeared disgruntled, he just as easily shook it off and continued once more.

"I have inside information on the Tuaparang," he continued, "and I know their motives. They're searching for Matthew because of his knowledge in the legend of the Psynergy Well. If they manage to obtain him, all will be lost - they will gain access to the Psynergy Well, and will possess powers beyond imagining."

Felix let out a sigh, turning back around to face the Water Adept with a mixed expression of both loathing and imploring. Recalling their last encounter, Alex _had_ indeed mention something about a 'disease' and 'Psynergy Well,' though it seemed so insignificant at the time. He'd been quite certain that Alex was merely up to more trouble and wanted to drag Felix down with him, something of which he wasn't about to partake in once again. However, the tables had shifted, and now everything was out of the order in which it ought to be; Matthew having gone missing being the greatest.

"If you're not with the Tuaparang, then how do you know all this?" Felix asked him sharply, his eyes hesitantly meeting those of the man whom he used to refer to as 'friend.'

"I was a hostage of theirs, if you must know," Alex replied casually, as though they were discussing an issue of little-to-no importance. "I heard all of their plans, and I know exactly what they're up to. Matthew has escaped the Tuaparang, though only slimly, and they now seek the boy. If we can get to him first, then we have better chances of stopping this pandemic before they obtain the ultimate power within the Psynergy Well."

The queen rubbed a hand across the opaque, white tablecloth, her poise remaining strong as she mused over the elder man's words.

"Then please," she said slowly, turning her head in the direction of the Water Adept without meeting his eye. "Help us to find him."

Many turned to face the queen, though no one said anything to contradict her. Despite the fact that Alex was sly and he'd done many things to harm each and every member of that table, no one denied that they were powerless to end this pandemic alone, and wouldn't mind the aid of a very powerful, knowledgable Adept.

"_If _there is nothing in it for you," Felix barely muttered through a tightly clenched jaw. "Then, and only then, will we permit you to aid us."

Alex gave an ironic bow, his hair brushing the marbled-colored tiles as he swooped down.

"I am honored," he replied sarcastically, a grin spreading across his face as he turned up to face the scowling Earth Adept. "It gives me no greater pleasure to serve under the likes of you, Felix. Though please know that there _is_ something in this for me: for as you see, I don't enjoy fearing the possibility of contracting this illness myself, or those that I care about around me."

At this, he shot a dashing smile over towards Mia, who let out what sounded like a slight groan as she turned her back to him.

"Like there's anyone you still care about, Alex," said Mia softly, nibbling the skin off her lip and trying to rid herself of any kind feelings that she'd manage to conjure within her heart for the man.

"So, what is it that you're going to help us do then, Alex?" Piers asked skeptically, as if not fully believing that Alex could help them at all. They all had their reservations when it came to dealing with Alex, similarly to an adult putting on safety gloves before dealing with a child. After their previous dealings with the man, they could never be too careful.

"Well, first thing's first, we must find Matthew," he replied urgently, turning towards Ivan once more. "Do you know where we might find him? I believe you do, since I'd heard tell about you prophesying or something to that affect."

Ivan's brows furrowed into a frown while scrutinizing the expressionless visage of the Water Adept; he partly wondered to himself why everything seemed to be quite _so _difficult when it came to any dealings with him.

"I have strong feelings that we'll find them in Lemuria," Ivan informed him, averting his violet gaze from the icy, penetrating stare of the latter. "That is all - whether it's accurate or not, it's not a terrible place to start, right?"

Alex rubbed his chin thoughtfully, contemplating the blond boy's words.

"Lemuria..." he repeated thoughtfully, his tone suggesting as if he were deep in thought within another world entirely. "That's - a very interesting theory, Ivan. Do you happen to know _why _they would be there?"

Ivan shook his head. "Only that it's something of importance, and soon they'll be in grave danger."

Alex smirked, though attempted for it not to take the better of his posture.

"Sounds like one of those cheap fortune-tellings to me," he said, shooting his wry grin towards the Jupiter Adept. "But ah well; let us hope that the worst of fates doesn't meet the poor boy before we get to him."

Alex then turned to face Sveta, whose nervous gaze shifted uneasily upon him.

"I can assure you that we'll find dear Matthew before harm finds him," he told her. "Do I have Your Majesty's permission to join your party?"

Such mannerisms; normally it would be something Sveta would think highly of, and would instantly jump to Alex's offer, save for one sole reason alone: this was _Alex_ that they were dealing with. All laws and policies seemed to go out the window whenever he was involved, though she was a tad bit reluctant to merely follow them this time around. Yet, she had no choice; Alex did appear to know more about the pandemic than any of them, and even if he had the slightest bit of knowledge on how to save Matthew, then-well, it was all worth it. To her, at least.

After a monotonous moment of silence, the queen bowed her head in acceptance.

"Yes, I would be forever grateful if you joined us on our quest," Sveta barely muttered shifty-eyed. "Just let us know where to begin."

"What I would like to know," Piers began slowly as he raised a hand to rub his chin thoughtfully. "Is how we'll manage to get to Lemuria. It's not like any vessel can get there, you know."

"Well, don't you have one, Piers?" Alex asked incredulously.

Piers shook his head, his sea-blue hair falling into his face gently as he replied, "I do - but it's on the coasts of Southern Anagara. Not a plausible option, if you ask me. Not with all those Kaocho soldiers brewing about."

Alex brought a hand up to stroke his chin, deeply contemplating this matter. A vessel had never been an issue for him to obtain, especially with his teleporting ability, making traveling by physical distance a very minimal concern to him. Though the matter of acquiring a vessel within the Tuaparang was slightly different. Tuaparang-crafted vessels were known to be virtually indestructible, and considering they traveled by air they hardly had to worry about natural calamities befalling or destroying the ship. Unfortunately, he no longer had access to said vessels.

Unless...

"Not to worry," he informed them, a smile spreading across his face, something of which caused uneasiness to grow in the pit of Felix's stomach. "I know just the thing."

Felix let out a sigh while bringing his cloth napkin to wipe the remains of his lemon poppyseed muffin from his lips. He didn't know why, but he got a hunch that this wasn't going to be a fun journey ahead.

**Author's Note**: Well, I think I have a better writing schedule figured out, and hopefully will have an update fairly regularly for everyone :D I do apologize for dragging this out so long, and I greatly hope to have this story completed by this autumn, if not late summer. Between co-writing with a friend and beta reading, my writing time has been spread rather thin ;)

...Anyone notice I switched back to roman numerals yet again? :P

Many thanks to all those who reviewed and will be reviewing my story, but a special thank you goes out to Daedalus, who has helped and encouraged me beyond belief with this story :D

Also, another huge thank you to my good friend, Sarah, who introduced me to wonderful lemon poppyseed muffins to begin with!


	31. Tranquil Anguish

Chapter XXXI:

Wind rushed past her face, sending locks of sea-foam hair to stream in waves behind her. With every passing day of their journey no sudden rush of joy had surged through her until then. There was something about the wind that tranquilized her; perhaps it was the scent of the sea-salt air, or merely the wind itself. Karis was, after all, a Jupiter Adept; a fact that had seemed to evade her frequently over the course of time.

Lately Karis hadn't felt like anything other than a helpless, miserable being with no purpose other than to wander around aimlessly with a group of friends, in search of a cure that likely didn't even exist. The pandemic had seemed beyond anyone's control, and the process in which to end it seemed a greater feat even still. The thought of undertaking it with merely a small band of apprentice Adepts such as themselves frightened her and, neglecting to utter it aloud, she couldn't help but wonder if their attempts were merely fruitless.

Karis opened her eyes; a vast, black sea canopied by a similar bleak sky surrounded her. The only source of light was that of the twinkling stars above, yet even they were more scarce than usual. Black and bleak—that was precisely where she felt their futures were headed. She only wondered how soon it would be before the darkness engulfed them entirely.

A heavy sigh escaped her chest, her gaze penetrating the rippling water below as she allowed herself to sway upon the soft waves. The Lemurian ship was a blessing to have found, though it certainly wasn't the smoothest of ships that she'd been aboard. During their adventures the party had done much sailing across the many seas, and yet no ship they had set sail on was reminiscent to this one in the least. The sail was torn and tattered, the wood along the ship's bow was frayed, and it certainly wouldn't have surprised her if the rest of the ship was in just as poor of condition. Piers certainly would've loved it; Karis was certain of that. He loved old ships, and especially one of Lemurian craftsmanship.

A hand rested upon the young woman's shoulder, causing her to jump and quickly whirl around. There she found a confused blond, blinking frantically while withdrawing his hand. For a long moment neither could do anything other than stare at one another, until the latter finally spoke, his tone hesitant and cautious.

"I—I'm sorry," he stuttered. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I just saw you out here by yourself and thought I'd come join you."

Biting against her lower lip, Karis jerked her head and turned her gaze back onto the endless sea. Tension filled the air, and it took a moment for Matthew to muster up the courage to speak again, this time his tone a bit stronger.

"Are you alright? We got worried when you didn't come in for dinner."

Pain washed over the girl's visage, causing Matthew to instantly regret his words. She shook her head.

"No, no, don't worry about me. I've just…needed some time to think, that's all." She ran a hand along the frayed wooden railing. Why was it that Matthew could read her so well, as if she were merely a windowpane? She figured it must've had something to do with being raised as childhood friends, rendering it nearly impossible to not grow a deep fondness and attachment toward one another.

"Karis," Matthew began, hesitation filling his tone with every word he uttered. "I know something's getting to you, and if I can be of any help, any at all—"

Yet this time when Karis turned around to face him tears began to form in her eyes and roll down her pallid cheeks. Raising a trembling hand, Karis made a feeble attempt to wipe them away, only this action was already made too late. Matthew could only watch her in surprise.

"Karis…?"

"It just feels so hopeless to me, Matthew," muttered Karis finally. Her throat tightened as she further spoke, and tears began to smother her voice. Ignoring this, she wiped her hand across her eyes once more and continued on with her speech. "All of this does. Finding these stones, healing those poor, sick people, stopping the Tuaparang. It sounds so overwhelming to me now, and I just don't think we can do this. Not without serious help."

A concerned expression washed over the visage of the blond. Cautiously placing a hand back on her shoulder, he took a step closer and leaned his cheek into her soft-green locks.

"Karis—" he soothed. "It's not hopeless, trust me. It just feels that way because we've been wandering around like this for so long. Eventually everything'll be brought to an end, you'll see."

"A positive or negative one?" she shot back. When he looked rather hurt by her words, the Jupiter Adept dropped her gaze to the ground. "Sorry, Matthew. I know the last thing I want to do is discourage you, especially when you're encouraging all these people on still, but—"

"Ah, but don't you see, Karis? I'm not encouraging all these people on." Matthew shifted so that he now stood between Karis and the bow, blocking her view of the clear black water below them. "Hope is what's driving them on! They still believe in a world with Psynergy, filled with Adepts that have the power to use it. You can't just give up now, Karis. Think of all the people you'd let down and, especially, all those people that are still sick and are counting on us."

The truth of his words stuck her like a pincushion of needles. While she used to agree with many of his words, the recent days had brought her to reconsider them. Sniffling slightly, Karis shifted her gaze back onto her dear friend.

"I know, Matthew, and you're right," she admitted. "I guess I just can't help but feel upset right now."

Curiosity crept through Matthew's eyes, yet Karis had a hard time discerning what it could've possibly been for. Turning to face her momentarily, he just as quickly lowered them to the ground and let out a deep shrug.

"Is there…anything else bothering you, Karis?"

The question caused the Jupiter Adept to shoot him a surprised glance; she certainly hadn't been expecting anything like that to come from Matthew. Why would he suspect anything else to be bothering her? Was she truly _that _easy to read, or was he merely assuming? Karis shook her head.

"No," she lied. "W—why do you ask?"

A wry grin spread across his pale face, yet he didn't elaborate. In a few steps he made his way over to the ship's railing, resting his arms upon the splintered wood. His gaze traveled across the sparkling sea momentarily before responding, his tone indifferent once he had.

"Oh, I was just wondering." He paused, turning to face Karis hesitantly before quickly looking away. "It's just that I wondered if something were up between you and Amiti."

Without giving this another thought, Karis crossed her arms irritably. "Why?"

"Well, it's kind of obvious that you two won't speak to each other, and you'll hardly even look at one another, for that matter."

Color rushed into Matthew's cheeks, though he dared not turn around to find out what other colors Karis's face was possibly turning. For as long as he'd known her, he could've easily assumed that it'd turned from pink, to red to an angry shade of violet all within a mere few second's time. However, he certainly hoped that wasn't the case. Judging by her tone that followed, he rather doubted it.

"I—we had a fallout, I guess you could say," she managed at last.

For a moment both remained silent, listening to the tranquilizing sound of waves hitting the ship's sides. Peace seemed to radiate around them, yet Karis only wished that it would also fill her rather than merely circle her. Slowly Matthew turned his back to the railing, now facing her directly. Karis swallowed hard under his intense stare; she couldn't help but notice an odd glint in his eye that hadn't been present moments ago.

"I'm really sorry, Karis, whatever the fallout might've been," Matthew murmured apologetically. "If there's anything I can do, or perhaps anything you'd like me to say to him—"

"No," Karis replied suddenly. This caused Matthew to merely gape at her in surprise, embarrassing the Jupiter Adept slightly. "It's just that… I think I need to work this problem out on my own. Not that you're a bad negotiator or anything, it's just that—"

"Don't worry, I get it," Matthew assured her. The mere smile that Karis offered him was enough to confirm that she appreciated his courtesy, and together the two continued to stargaze in silence.

However, the silence hadn't succeeded in lasting long before Matthew broke into it once more, his words rolling out slow and hesitant.

"Y'know, I've been thinking…" he began, allowing his words to trail off before he could complete his thought.

Karis shifted her head to glance at him. "Hmm?"

Blush managed to penetrate Matthew's cheeks one more, though he knew looking away from Karis's intense stare would've only made it all the more obvious that he were trying to hide something from her.

"Nothing really, it's just there's things I've—well, that I've always wanted to tell you," Matthew said finally. "Things that I didn't think you'd ever understand."

Karis merely let out an impatient sigh. "You know that I'd listen to anything you had to say, Matthew. And most likely, even though I haven't heard it yet, I'll also understand what it is you're trying to say, too."

Another wave of color hit him; he was rather thankful for the darkness of the night just then. The chilly wind blew strands of hair off his neck, which left him feeling even more vulnerable to divulging what it was he had to say.

"Okay, there's no real eloquent way to put this, I guess," Matthew admitted, shifting to face her. "Karis… I really care about you."

Karis merely blinked.

"That's nice," she said, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "I really care about you, too, Matthew."

"No, not like that," Matthew said irritably. He shook his head, allowing blond locks to fall haphazardly into his face. This seemed to bother him very little, however, for he went on as though no interference had ever occurred. "I _really _care about you, Karis, in ways that I never thought I could before."

Her heart only began to beat more frantically. The pounding of her raging heart raised high into her throat, though she could've sworn that it refused to stop there. A wave of dread washed over her, along with conflicted feelings of friendship and betrayal. Matthew had always been her friend, her bud—why did he have to feel this way for her now?

"Oh," she managed after a long awkward silence had emitted. "I see…"

For one prolonged moment the two merely stared at one another. Matthew then slightly jerked forward, hesitating momentarily before leaning in closer and pressing his lips against hers.

In truth, Karis had never been kissed before. A close encounter had taken place back on Zenith Isle, yet it had never actually occurred. While Karis wasn't entirely sure what she'd been expecting, what just happened certainly hadn't been it. Before she could even respond Matthew had already pulled away; a deep blush had filled his cheeks and he refused to even so much as glance at her. Instead, Karis could only gaze at the back of his head in complete bewilderment as to what had just taken place.

"Matthew…" she breathed, yet she couldn't find words to continue. They all seemed to be worthless, and overall wouldn't have suited the occasion whatsoever. The blond hadn't even turned her way, and hadn't seemed to be expecting an answer, either. Karis partly wondered if he was just as shocked by his prior action as she was.

Not even several moments had passed before Matthew slowly withdrew from the railing, backing several paces away from Karis.

"It's getting kind of late," he murmured rather awkwardly. "I think Rief was wanting to tell me something, too. Something about our coordinates or…something."

Curiosity clouded her vision, yet she nodded anyway.

"Alright."

Almost as suddenly as she'd been accompanied, she found herself alone once more.

~(*)~

The sun rose, announcing a new day's arrival. Amiti let out a mild groan as he sat up in his bunk, running a hand absentmindedly through his greasy, disheveled locks. Numbness penetrated his every nerve and thought, until reality slowly began to dawn on him, bringing him back to the harshness of the world.

A sigh now escaped the aqua-haired Adept, who swung his legs off the side of the bunk and stood up. His gaze shifted towards the blond on the opposite side of the room, who still slept on soundly despite Amiti's rustling. A bitter smile curved the edges of his lips, while a distasteful expression shadowed his eyes. As much as he greatly wished he could talk things over with Matthew, he knew that he couldn't; the memory of that night would only have to play through his mind, time and time again.

No wonder Karis's reaction had been the way it had; it all made sense to him now. If only he'd known that her heart already belonged to Matthew he wouldn't have had to pour his own to her the way he had. No words could express the pang of anguish that coursed through the young king's chest but, then again, he wasn't sure that he wanted begin composing them. Karis was no longer his to muse over; he would just have to learn to let her go—as painstaking of a task that seemed.

Having not bothered to change the night before, Amiti was still fully clothed when he made his way out of their small room and towards the deck. Painful thoughts flooded his mind as he stood there, the early sun's rays beaming down upon the faded wood in streaks. If only he hadn't come out last night…nothing would've changed.

Yet he had, and he'd seen far more than he wished to. A part of him wondered why Karis couldn't have simply told him in words that her heart belonged to Matthew, but then he supposed that would've been far too difficult to explain. Another grim smile washed over his face as he made his way to the ship's bow, crossing his arms along the railing before resting his head upon them. Life had a terrible way of surprising him, but he'd yet to experience a joyous surprise out of the very many miserable ones he'd suffered.

The scurrying of feet along the deck arouse his attention, breaking into his thoughts and gearing them back into the present. Slowly he shifted around to face none other than the Pirate Lord, his hair matted neatly into its usual ponytail. Eoleo shot Amiti a wide grin, which he could only return with a weak smile; one that barely curved his lips. This only caused Eoleo to let out a hearty laugh, striding over to the young king and clapping him on the shoulder. The brute force of his large hand nearly struck Amiti to the ground, yet he managed to hold his ground and turned to face the friendly pirate.

"You've arisen early," Amiti commented mildly.

"Nah, you just got up late." The redhead shot Amiti another smirk. "Didn't sleep?"

"No, I slept fine." This was a complete lie, though he figured Eoleo would've had no way of discerning otherwise. A look of confusion clouded the pirate's expression, though he said nothing to question him farther. Instead, he went on as though Amiti had said nothing whatsoever.

"Say, guess what?" Before Amiti could even begin to respond the pirate gripped his shoulder once more and extended his other hand out towards the sea beyond. "D'you see what's out there?"

The smell emitting from Eoleo's body offended Amiti's nostrils, though he attempted to keep his poise while studying the horizon.

"Umm, seagulls perhaps?" Amiti offered, though he very well knew this likely wasn't what Eoleo had in mind.

The pirate let out a deep scowl, shaking his head before thrusting a hand towards his belt. A telescope that looked as though it'd been soaked underwater for days before being set to dry in direct sunlight for many more had been brought from his belt. He then brought it to his eye, readjusting it properly before handing it to Amiti.

"What'dya know, eh?" Eoleo said.

A frown furrowed Amiti's brows before cautiously raising the telescope to his left eye. Initially everything seemed out of place and unfocused until he steadied his hand. It took him a moment to discern what it was that he was visualizing, though it still didn't take him long to discover that his eyes had rested upon something more than waves of the ocean.

"I honestly didn't think we'd make it here," Eoleo commented, a smile spreading across Amiti's once-somber visage.

Withdrawing the telescope, Amiti set his gaze back onto the horizon. He then could spot the deposit of land out in the distance; while recognizing the island was beyond his comprehension, it didn't take him long to realize where they were.

"This is it, then," Amiti murmured, eyes wide and glittering with excitement as he eagerly turned them onto his pirate friend. "We've found—"

_—Lemuria._

**Author's Note:**

Hello there, missed me? I sure hope so, because soon you'll see more of me than you ever cared to! :P I have recently completed the largest writing project I've ever taken on, and I'm now bound and determined to get this story rolling again. I originally had a goal to complete it by late summer, though I'm not ready to give up on that just yet. I'm not making any promises—because we all sort of know how that goes by now—though I do hope to get a chapter update fairly regularly, if not sooner than that.

As always, a big thank you to my supporters, including all you wonderful readers and, especially, those reviewers out there :) You've really inspired me to come a long way with my writing by just clicking on this link; so thank you, it really means a lot to me.

I love reviews, though I won't pressure you into leaving one. However, if you'd like to be so kind as to gift me with one *smirks* I'd absolutely leap with joy! :P


	32. Lemuria

Chapter XXXII:

Being greeted by the lush greenery was perhaps one of the brightest things that happened to Rief that day. The young apprentice couldn't have been more thrilled to step foot off the ship's steps onto the crisp white sand, dry and crackling from the scorching sun above. While most believed Rief to be a bouncy youth who didn't do well stifled in one place for extended periods of time, this couldn't have been farther from the truth. After all, this was the lad who would bury his nose in books within a library for hours on end; a ride upon a ship for several days certainly wouldn't have been enough to do him in.

The truth was one that he refused to admit to and, so far, he'd managed to evade it. Well...to all except Kraden, but the elder man knew practically everything, so that hardly mattered. What bothered Rief more than being stifled in a cramped room being shared by three other boys, having to eat nothing but fish and being deprived from the conveniences of land was the matter of him being dreadfully seasick.

Yes, _him_, the Water Adept from Imil_, _would become violently ill aboard any vessel that they would encounter. Had he known most of their adventures would take place at sea rather than land, he likely wouldn't have signed up quite as eagerly.

Practically leaping from the ship, the boy extended his hands towards the sky and stretched. The sun seemed far closer than ever before, and it became all too apparent that they would get sunburnt at a rather rapid pace. This didn't bother the Mercury Adept all too greatly, however; he was just grateful to be on solid ground again.

The rest of the crew followed shortly thereafter, their responses similar to that of the youth. Tyrell instantly began doing squats for reasons unfathomable, and Matthew started running laps around the several palm trees lining the coast. In truth, the two appeared rather idiotic and should any of Lemuria's residents witnessed this they would've broken out in a torrent of laughter. Any odd glimpse from the others went amiss by the two boys, however, for they didn't consider stopping their merry motions anytime soon.

A frown pinched Rief's narrow eyebrows together as he observed the sea's coastline before shooting a gaze back over his shoulder. A thicket of trees surrounded them from every angle; it was hard to imagine that a technologically advanced civilization dwelt beyond it. The tranquil sound of the waves again caught the boy's attention, and it was then that he realized something was wrong.

"Did anybody else notice," Rief began, his voice high in alarm, "that we didn't experience any trouble reaching the island?"

A curious expression washed over the visage of the lone Jupiter Adept, who raised a brow skeptically.

"And should we have experienced some?" she asked.

No one else seemed to understand Rief's concern, but instead they all proceeded to watch the boy in bewilderment. Eoleo shook his long mane of red hair, permitting its release from the tight band that had been retaining it.

"Dunno what yer talking about, kid," he stated. "We had good weather, the sail was smooth and clean."

"I believe young Rief is referring to Poseidon's servant," Kraden interjected, shooting the blue-haired youth a friendly sideways glance.

All heads turned to face the elderly scholar, though none expressed understanding of his words. Amiti drew a step closer to the two. "Sorry, who?"

"The Kraken"—Eoleo scoffed before he spat into the receding waves—"just a rumor, that one is."

"Oh, no, I'm afraid it isn't just any old sailor's tale, my boy. The legend of Poseidon is true, and I'm afraid his monstrous beast is just as vicious as it's been foretold to be," Kraden said in response. "Though, like Rief has pointed out, I do wonder why it didn't disturb our arrival upon the island."

Karis's eyes grew wide. "What _is _Poseidon, exactly? And what is this of his terrible creature?"

Tyrell regarded her question to be entirely ridiculous, though the humor faded from his face quickly upon Kraden's response.

"Poseidon," Kraden began, "was a restless king who once ruled the seas. However, the sea king had been placed in a deep slumber for generations, awakening as a terror to the seas and a menace to all sailors. For a time, he didn't grant passage to Lemuria for those seeking it, and I'm afraid that it hadn't been easy for anyone to travel through the Sea of Time. Thanks to your parents, the Warriors of Vale, the threat of Poseidon is gone, yet his servant, the Kraken, still protects and roams the seas."

"Really now?" Amiti asked, raising a hand to grip his chin. "Why do you suppose it let us pass with ease, then?"

"I honestly haven't even the slightest idea," Kraden admitted. "Though I certainly think it was in our favor that it had."

A cold breeze swept the air, causing Rief to cross his arms; only it wasn't from the chilling temperature. Something seemed slightly out of place to the youth, yet, with the party treating this as a fortune, he had no other choice but to oblige.

Matthew finally skid to a halt from his laps around the palms. "So, I guess we've got to get to work sooner or later," he admitted, regardless of the reluctance guised in his tone. "Where do we begin our search?"

No one responded, probably because no one had a response to offer. Each one shot the other a glance before it was finally the elderly scholar who spoke. "I believe we should begin by speaking to the islanders, and see if they should know anything of the legend. Should anyone be able to offer us guidance, it would be these people."

Rief still looked slightly doubtful, though he didn't offer any word of protest. Speaking to the islanders was likely the best lead they would possibly manage to conjure; there was no denying that.

"Alright," Matthew replied with a nod. He shifted towards his redheaded childhood friend. "You coming or what?"

Tyrell, having had started his squats once more, stopped mid-motion to turn and face the group. "Eh?"

"We're going to talk with the islanders," Karis repeated.

A look of dawning lit the redhead's face before it darkened again. "Aren't these guys, like, really prejudice against Fire Adepts?"

A hollow laugh managed to escape her. "Why ever would you think that?"

Tyrell scratched the back of his head, a thoughtful expression spreading across his face.

"I dunno...but, I mean, these guys are all Mercury Adepts, and I'm—"

"Relax," Eoleo said heartily, clapping Tyrell on the shoulder. Tyrell didn't look all too pleased with the gesture, but instead stood up rigidly rather than voice it aloud. "I'm going along too, so we'll be able to back each other up, right?"

Rief rather doubted that Eoleo would back anyone up, considering he were a pirate and, generally speaking, pirates were only out to serve themselves.

"Not to worry, Tyrell. The Lemurians are rather admirable people, they won't be so shallow so as to judge you by your element," Kraden reassured the youth.

Crossing his arms and wearing a deep frown, Tyrell looked anything but convinced. The teen threw his bag over his shoulder begrudgingly before trekking over to the others already transcending the thicket of trees.

Most everyone had already disappeared into the mess of branches and leaves when Rief paused. His turquoise-blue gaze followed the sparkling waves as they receded back onto the shoreline. The water remained smooth and undisturbed, exactly as it had throughout the entire duration of their journey. He couldn't be certain, but he felt the worst danger was yet to come.

~(*)~

Snow still proceeded to fall over the thick forests of Morgal. The wind filtered through the leafless trees in slow, steady currents, adding to the bitter cold of the atmosphere. A low sigh escaped the blond woman as she crossed her legs. She glared at her comrades about her, which instantly caused them to cringe and drop their gazes to the ground. None dared to so much as breathe within the sharp woman's presence, for they all knew the taste of her wrath—as they experienced it rather frequently. It wasn't a rare ordeal for General Alyss to be in a foul mood, though everyone would go through extreme measures to avoid her whenever she was believed to be in one; it was only the poor, unfortunate soul who wouldn't happen to know of her ill mood before crossing her that would meet an unfortunate doom that day. Generally the soldiers would alert one another, but that day they weren't quite as fortunate.

"Where is he?" she barked to a tall man who happened to cross her. As though a heavy leash were preventing his neck from turning, he slowly drew his head to face her.

"Ma'am, he hasn't shown yet, nor have we heard any word," he replied slowly.

Alyss rubbed her upper arms, her severe gaze studying the snow upon the forest's treetops.

"If he doesn't show soon I want you to send out everyone to scout him out. I already don't trust his brat, and, unfortunately, I have hardly any more faith in him."

The masked soldier bowed lowly before scurrying away. He didn't desire to be under her scrutiny any longer than needed. While he felt sorry for the man she was muttering curses for under her breath, he could only be thankful that it wasn't himself that she desired.

It hadn't been long before a dark-haired man emerged from the thicket of trees, and it only took moments for Alyss to recognize the tall general that made his way over to her. She pierced him with a menacing glare.

"What kept you?" she demanded brashly.

In response, the general merely brushed his silky black locks over his shoulder. He offered the woman a dashing smile.

"Hello, my dear. I trust you slept well?"

Alyss scowled, causing the man's grin to spread farther across his face.

"Don't play stupid with me, Jedite," she snapped. "I asked for you eons ago! Why are you only now showing your face?"

"Because I had things to do," he replied casually, seeming unperturbed by her ill mood entirely. "While this may come as a surprise to you, you're not the greatest of my concerns, Alyss."

Soldiers began to slowly scatter away, as they always did when the two generals would begin facing off in a heated conversation. Things would ofttimes get ugly, and no one fancied standing witness to it. Very soon it was only the two remaining within the meadow of the forest, surrounded by nothing other than trees and the occasional bird flittering through them.

"I'm well aware of that," Alyss replied coolly. "I know that little orphan girl, Moira, is the priority of your day."

A look of worry temporarily crossed over the dark-haired man's visage, though it vanished just as soon as it appeared.

"She generally needs more assistance than you do," he stated blandly.

Alyss shifted atop her tree trunk slightly, the remains of a tree that had been unfortunate enough to be in her way and had been dispatched for use as her firewood.

"I know she's got many strings attached to you," she murmured, a grim smile playing against her blood-red lips. "She's using you as a marionette, yet you're too blind to see it."

"Never you mind my relation with the girl"—Jedite rubbed his forehead ruefully, before shifting his gaze to meet that of the severe blonde— "what did you want from me?"

"It's about the girl, actually," Alyss returned. "I asked her to find the Adepts and she hasn't since returned. It's been several days now, and she needed to report to me. Have you seen her, perchance?"

A frown pinched Jedite's forehead. "And do I look like her keeper?"

"You're closer to her than anyone, and I thought perhaps you know something I don't. Is that so?"

"No," he paused, his gloved hand receding towards his hairline. When Alyss still looked unconvinced he further added, "I don't know where she is."

A grim smile gripped the edges of her visage, as her eyes shadowed menacingly.

"I'd hate to be you if I find out you're lying," she stated, her smile ever twisted.

Jedite chortled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh-ho! Is that a threat? Coming from you, Alyss, it feels like anything but."

At this the blonde rose, looking as though she would bite the nearest person's head off within less than mere seconds. However, the nearest and only person happened to be Jedite, whose head she couldn't severe even if she wished to. Instead she could only offer the general an intense glare, before swiveling back in the direction of the endless forests.

"What do you want with her, anyway?" Jedite's voice called after her, ringing through the dead silence of the trees. Alyss froze in her tracks, her gaze searching the thick blankets of snow for something that couldn't be found.

"I want to finish what I started," she said finally. "Nothing more."

These words hung like an unfinished riddle as the blonde continued into the forest, leaving the befuddled general to his guesswork. The air around him suddenly seemed to drop ten degrees, allowing his breath to hang in the air before visibly dispersing. A pained expression nagged at the edges of his features as he shifted to face another end of the forest, far from where Alyss had disappeared behind the endless disarray of branches.

"Moira," he muttered thickly, a single tear glinting in his eye as he spoke. "Please don't tell me that you did it."

~(*)~

"So, this is all that you can come up with?" Tyrell asked incredulously, staring at the aged Lemurian king mounted upon his throne. "It's just a 'legend of old'?"

This received resounding gasps across the room, and Karis even managed to poke the Fire Adept in the back. "Tyrell!"

The king raised an eyebrow in bemusement before bowing his head low. "I've never once heard of such a tale you speak of."

"But there's proof," Matthew began quickly. His gaze shifted towards Kraden for support, yet the elder man offered nothing.

"My apologies; perhaps a myth-keeper would know of your tale. I do not believe our land possesses any such stone, for surely one our people would've crossed over it centuries ago."

"Please, Your Majesty," Amiti began, making his way to the front of the gathering. When his eyes met those of the Lemurian king he swallowed hard, bowing his head low as he spoke. "Do you suppose that there's any place where such a stone would dwell? A stone tablet left by the Ancients reads that they had sealed a stone away within the shores of Lemuria. It is essential that we find it, or else I'm afraid great unfortunate things may befall everyone."

The Lemurian king wearily brought his gaze up to meet the eager youth, yet he shook his head in response.

"No, my boy. If there is such a place it has yet to meet my ears, which would greatly surprise me, since I've had them long enough," he replied gravely.

Rief was slightly surprised that the king still managed to retain patience after everyone's persistent questions, though he could only assume that it came from his many years of life. He'd probably learned to be patient long ago and, after all, it wasn't as though time were running away from him. This was likely the most entertaining event to befall him in a great while.

Tyrell once again began opening his mouth to retort, but was halted by the wrinkled hand of the scholar resting upon his shoulder.

"Come, that is all," Kraden urged, gently pulling Tyrell away until the redhead relented and retreated from the throne. "I thank you greatly for your time, King Hydros, and I apologize for these children. The exuberance of youth, eh?" Kraden let out a hearty chuckle, which quickly died in his throat when no one else joined him.

The king nodded. "I understand. I wish you the best of success in your ventures, Master Kraden."

A sentry along the wall moved towards the band of Adepts, meeting Rief's eye with a wide smile. She slowly made a motion towards the double doors exiting the throne room, which was a gesture for the remaining of the party to follow suit.

"I still don't get it," Tyrell murmured under his breath. "We spoke to the king, we've talked with the senate, we've bugged the people—how come no one's ever heard of this stuff before?"

"It is odd," Karis agreed. "But Tyrell, you _never _treat royalty like that! Even if you don't like what they have to say."

"Yeah, I'm half-amazed he didn't throw you in prison right on the spot," Matthew commented mildly, looking half bemused by the exchange.

A deep blush covered the redhead's face. "Well geez, how was I supposed to know? I mean, the only examples of royalty I ever got were Sveta and Amiti, both being people I could just jam up a regular conversation with."

"But you _know _us, Tyrell," Amiti replied, shaking his head exhaustedly. "And besides, King Hydros is your elder, which, generally, you would offer more respect to, anyway."

Tyrell decided to brush the matter off from there, shifting his gaze to trail over the pictures along the walls as they passed them. The sentry led them back through the Lemurian Royal Palace, a place filled with splendor anywhere one looked. The most magnificent pieces of all were the framed paintings, depicting immaculate scenes that Rief couldn't manage to find a rival for. While the palace must've been quite old, the interior conveyed otherwise. Everything still remained in top-notch shape, from the carpeted flooring to the silken curtains concealing every window from the relentless sun. The palace was rather large, yet not quite as large as Belinsk's palace had been. There was something splendid yet simplistic about Lemuria, which Rief could find himself falling in love with in only a short matter of time. On their way to speak with the king they'd passed over a library, and it took all of the young apprentice's willpower to avert his gaze and continue on with the rest. His love for books only increased in new libraries, and he could but only imagine what sort of ancient works and books could've possibly resided within the depths of the royal Lemurian library.

The smell of fresh grass and sea salt air greeted the party as they descended the steps of the palace and entered the remainder of the island. While Rief had witnessed many islands during their voyages, none smelt quite the same as the one he stood before.

The party was offered a stay in a privately-owned inn. Why the island even possessed one was beyond Rief's scope of understanding. No travelers ever frequented the island, and so its existence was relatively unnecessary. Yet there one stood, and the man who owned it was more than happy to rent rooms out to the party.

It really seemed more like a barn than an actual "inn," with a single room only divided by curtains and beds that rested on the floor. No one was particularly keen on their place of stay, yet no one offered a word of protest, either. In fact, very little was uttered amongst them at all. Disappointment reeked the air and penetrated into everyone's hearts. They'd come to Lemuria with high hopes of attaining one of the stones in which they were seeking, yet now they were even farther from reaching their goal than they had been before.

These thoughts tormented Rief that afternoon and well into the night. Each Adept had their own bed behind a curtain, which was the most privacy that Rief had experienced in months. He honestly didn't relish in his own privacy as some had; in fact, he felt rather lonely on his small cot that groaned and creaked as he laid on it. The beds stood only several inches off the floor, and Rief highly suspicioned that the mattresses were made of straw rather than stuffing. It was as stiff as a board. He couldn't help but wonder how Kraden's back would take it.

There he lie on his small bed, staring up at the ceiling as the night trudged on. Only the sounds of crickets chirping could be heard, along with Tyrell's snores coming from several curtain rooms away. Rief let out a small sigh as he rolled over on his side. He wondered how long it would be before someone decided to stop him. Yet as the moments continued to pass and Tyrell proceeded to snore, he found it unlikely that anyone would do anything unless he did.

It took a great while for sleep to finally creep up on the youth. His eyelids were finally beginning to feel heavy, and that warm fuzzy sensation began to wash over him. It was in his subconsciousness that he saw a dark figure move past his curtain, before hearing the door to the inn creak open and shut. The boy sat bolt upright, blinking frantically as he watched the curtain surrounding his room, but, alas, nothing was left to be seen.

Rief groped for his glasses along the side of his bed before shoving them up his nose. The room looked exactly as it had only moments ago, yet it seemed that someone had left it. For a moment he wondered if his eyes had merely been playing tricks on him, yet this reasoning seemed rather unlikely. Moments of ominous silence went by, with no trace of movement or any other disturbance.

While he decided that he probably couldn't do a whole lot, and it really wasn't his place to begin with, his curiosity won him over as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He awaited any sound to greet him, yet none sounded within the dark space of the inn.

Slipping into his mage robes, Rief grasped his mace resting underneath his bed. Not that he would find any danger out there, but you never could be too careful—especially in this current day.

**Author's Note:**

This chapter was particularly difficult, namely because I'm trying to get directly to the point since this story is already quite long and doesn't need any extra fillers ;) Anyhow, I hope it didn't seem too abrupt.

Speaking of this story being too long, I'm thinking to condense some of the later events taking place and hopefully reduce the length of this story tremendously. I may also have to cut out some side-plots, which means I'll likely have to go back to previous chapters and remove the seeds where the plots began.

As you might notice, my knowledge of Lemuria is rather slim. I've yet to complete "The Lost Age," and haven't witnessed Lemuria for myself. The lack of description thereof will probably reflect this, though I did attempt to do as much research as I could and, hopefully, this somewhat follows what the original Lemuria appeared like.

Reviews are greatly welcomed and appreciated; I'm always open to hearing advice on how to improve my writing.

As always, many a thank you for reading! :D


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